Issue 5, November 16, 2015

Santa Rosa Junior College’s Newspaper

The

Oak

Leaf

Officials eradicate cannabis crops www.theoakleafnews.com

November 16, 2015

Volume CXXXIV, Issue V

JoshuOne Barnes

Senior Staff Writer Between Healdsburg and Forestville, near where the Russian River turns a lazy corner from west to south and oozes its way underneath the rusty steel span of the Wohler Bridge, there, on a manzanitaclogged hillside full of poison oak, a Santa Rosa Junior College district employee discovered an extensive marijuana grow operation on the school’s Shone Farm property in April. This was the second discovery of an illegal marijuana operation on the property in three years.

SRJC District Police Lt. Robert Brownlee recalled he and the three other officers, armed with rifles, gave chase to an individual who fled after being discovered at the grow site March 25. The officers requested assistance from the Sonoma County Sheriffs Office deputies, who set up a perimeter around the area. Officers continued to search for the suspect, but it became too dangerous to continue the pursuit and Brownlee called it off.

“At one point he went into this dense brush where you would have to kind of crawl to get under. At that point, we didn’t feel safe

More than 5,400 cannabis plants had to be pulled from the premises of SRJC’s Shone Farm, costing the college more than $47,000.

going into that. Somebody could be lying in wait with a firearm to come after us,” he said.

Former police chief Matthew McCaffrey was the chief for the initial operation to apprehend the suspect, and it is not clear how much actual involvement he had in the decision to carry out the raid. A source with knowledge of the department’s workings at

the time stated McCaffrey was not around very much during his last week. At the time of the initial raid, a decision was made to leave the plants in the ground.

Repeated unanswered requests have been made for clarification about who made the decision to leave the plants growing, and who made the initial decision to conduct the

Courtesy of SRJCPD

raid on Shone Farm without coordination and cooperation with the Sonoma County Sheriff ’s Drug Task Force, which is proper procedure for such raids.

The Oak Leaf was unable to obtain an incident report on the March 25 operation and by press time.

Continued on page 2...

SRJC students help identify animal abuser Maci Martell

News and Managing Editor Through attentiveness and hard work, three Santa Rosa Junior College students identified a maltreated dog and traced her to her abusive owner, whose hearing is Dec. 7.

Coast Guard Petty Officer Ronald McKnight, 37, of Santa Rosa, pled no-contest July 9 to a felony animal abuse charge for the neglect and abuse of his 4-month-old lab.

Starting in fall 2014 and unfolding over the course of several months, veterinarians, kennel workers, animal patrol officers and three SRJC students helped save the puppy, named Daphne at the time, and bring the abuser to trial.

Daniel Famini, SRJC Vet Tech Program coordinator and veterinarian at Sonoma County Animal Services, said, “We do get dogs that are thrown away all the time at the shelter. Animal abuse is very common. What

is rare is that we know enough information to be able to have the DA prosecute.”

According to District Attorney Jill Ravitch’s August 2014 press release, McKnight told his dog walker that Daphne fell down a set of stairs and injured her leg.

The dog walker testified that Daphne’s hind leg appeared dislocated and twisted outward.

Almost two weeks later, the dog walker took Daphne to Santa Rosa Veterinary Hospital where doctors determined the leg was broken and needed surgery.

The dog walker paid $3,000 in medical expenses when McKnight said he could not afford it.

Nearly a week after McKnight claimed he gave Daphne to a shelter, animal control found her in a creek ravine off Nuns Canyon Road near Glen Ellen after someone reported hearing a whimpering dog amongst a pile of garbage, according to the DA’s press release. McKnight admitted to abandoning the dog but lied about the location, saying he left her near Travis Air

The Easy Leaves fall A backstage pass to into place Mary Poppins Oak Leaf meets with The Easy Leaves band members for an exclusive interview.

A&E, Page 6

Daniel Kong/ Oak Leaf

Daphne suffered fractures, skin infection and dermatitis to its leg before veterinarians amputated it.

Force Base off Highway 80 when the dog was found more than 40 miles away.

Animal control brought the shell-shocked and emaciated puppy into SCAS. Her hind leg was covered in a rotting, creek-soaked bandage and a non-functional splint, causing greater pain and instability to the leg as well as dermatitis and a skin infection.

Let’s talk GMOs

Famini said x-rays of Daphne’s leg revealed two additional fractures to the formerly repaired break. McKnight subjected the puppy to such poor conditions after the initial surgery that it broke a second time and the third break occurred after he dumped her in the creek.

Continued on page 5...

about A rising court star

A sneak peak into SRJC’s massive theater production.

Delve into an ever-growing discussion about genetically modified foods.

Sophomore SRJC basketball player Jordan Hickman talks ball.

Features, Page 10

Opinion, Page 14

Sports, Page 16

er

ram

ok

2

November 16, 2015

News

www.theoakleafnews.com

Marijuana found on Shone Farm

Continued from cover...

Editors-in-Chief:

Faith Gates and Luke Heslip Managing Editor:

Maci Martell

Section Editors: A&E Editor |Estefany Gonzalez Copy Editor | Carin Huber Copy Editor | Alex Randolph Features Editor | Haley Bollinger News Editor | Maci Martell Layout Editor | Catherine Ramirez Opinion Editor | Carin Huber Multimedia Editor | Kyle Schmidt Photo Editor | Daniel Kong Sports Editor | Parker Dangers Oncken Social Media Editor | Austin Burmester Web Editor | Rebecca Dominguez Senior Staff Writer Robert Marshall Joshuone Barnes Staff Writers Anne-Elisabeth Cavarec,Tommy Dennen, Brendan Dorsey, Mitchell Garcia-Buckley, Craig Gettman, Nikki Goetz, Arthur Gonzalez-Martin, Gideon Halpin, Matthew Koch, Taylor Kong, Travis LaBrucherie, Amy Reynolds, Devin Schwarz, Kelsi Sibert, Anthony Sosa, Stephen Wolmarans and Candler Weinberg Photographers JoshuOne Barnes, Craig Gettman, Guillaume Jackson, Matthew Koch, Catherine Ramirez and Kyle Schmidt Distribution Travis LaBrucherie and Stephen Wolmarans Layout Team Rebecca Dominguez, Craig Gettman and Catherine Ramirez

Contact Newsroom: 707-527-4401 Ads Office: 707-527-4254 Anne Belden, Adviser: 707-527-4867

abelden@santarosa.edu EMAIL oakleafonline@gmail.com Advertising Keshia Knight oakleaf-ads@santarosa.edu LETTERS TO THE EDITOR We appreciate your feedback. Send letters to oakleafstaff@gmail.com or to the Oak Leaf office. Letters should include first and last name and be limited to 300 words. Letter may be edited for style, length, clarity and taste. Libelous or obscene letters will not be printed.

Brownlee assumed the station of Interim Chief of Police March 30, 2015 and was in charge only for the second operation to eradicate the plants alongside the SCSO eradication team.

On April 30, SRJC district police officers Anthony Gregori, Daniel James and Anthony Tantarelli, along with three Sonoma County sheriff ’s deputies under Brownlee, went to Shone Farm and destroyed the illegally-planted marijuana.

The grow, which cost SRJC more than $47,000 in environmental cleanup efforts to date, contained more than 5,400 cannabis plants and had a simple but extensive irrigation system.

According to Brownlee, the grow operation was on a hardto-access portion of the property and the growers had a more sophisticated irrigation system than the previous grow.

In 2013, officers found a couple hundred plants on the property and the growers dammed the creek bed to get irrigation. They ran hoses down to where they collected their water and electric pumps were irrigating the land.

“With this one, [they were] a little bit more sophisticated. They were actually up here on this ridgeline, and they had dug holes and were collecting water in the holes and were using gravity to irrigate the plants a little more,” Brownlee said.

Leonard Diggs, Shone Farm manager, recalled the 2013 grow as much smaller as well.

“Two years ago was the first time, and our law enforcement, District Police and sheriffs came in and cleared the site. Nobody was there.

They just basically pulled up the plants,” Diggs said.

Diggs said the recent grow site was in a similar vicinity as the 2013 one.

“Same situation, a combination of District Police and the sheriff going in, and when they went in there were actually some people who were there who fled. We don’t know who they are. They were there probably tending the site,” he said.

As to how the growers were able to access the property in a manner that avoided previous detection, Diggs and Brownlee agreed the growers accessed the site from an adjacent property.

“It’s not a place that you can easily get to, and it’s on a place we believe that one of the easier ways to access it is through our neighbor’s property,” Diggs said.

Brownlee agreed, “I believe that they were coming in through the regional park somehow.”

According to Sonoma County Regional Parks website, Riverfront Regional Park, which borders the SRJC’s property, has access to picnic facilities, three miles of hiking and equestrian trails surrounding Lake Benoist and a half-mile trail through a grove of coastal redwoods.

Brownlee believes this public park afforded access for the growers.

After law enforcement destroyed the plants and secured the area, the problem of what to do to repair the site remained. Diggs worked with Tony Ichsan, dean of facilities planning and operations, and Doug Kuula, manager of environmental health and safety and a representative of EBA Environmental, to formulate a plan to reverse the environmental impact of the illegal grows and return

Renowned Chihuahua dies: Maci Martell

Daniel Kong/ Oak Leaf

Top: Shone Farm, a 365-acre “outdoor learning laboratory,” is home to SRJC’s agriculture/natural resources department and one of the source’s of food for the college’s cafeteria. Bottom: The treeline of Shone Farm hides the remains of a marijuana crop just miles north of campus, which officials had to eradicate.

the site to its former pristine state.

Diggs made sure there was an evaluation phase before any SRJC staff attempted to clean the site.

“I didn’t feel that it was safe to send our staff into a place to cleanup without real clear knowledge of what the environmental concerns are,” he said.

Matt Earnshaw, project manager at EBA Environmental, the company awarded the contract to clean up the site, said his company would not be finished at the site for a few more weeks, so EBA’s final report would not

be available for at least a month.

Paul Bielen, SRJC director of facilities operations in Santa Rosa, said although the $47,000 cleanup bill may seem like a large amount, it is important to remember the responsibility the college has to the community.

“I know it’s a lot [of money] but we have to do it as a public agency. We have to do the right thing every time, all the time,” Bielen said.

The SRJC Board of Trustees unanimously approved the contract with EBA at their meeting on Nov. 10.

Community mourns death of Chihuahua found in Dumpster

“Knowing that a small, young patient having an extensive procedure was higher risk, we took extra News and Managing Editor precautions and vigilance as we The Chihuahua found abandoned supported Darla through the bone in a Dumpster in Santa Rosa Junior plating procedure on both her front College’s Bech parking lot Oct. 27 legs,” Famini said in his message to died after surgery to repair her two the college.

Famini said Darla Like went us into Check out our website: on facebook Follow us on twitter broken legs Nov. 9.Follow us on Instagram @theoakleafnews Sonoma County Animal Services cardiorespiratory arrest shortly www.theoakleafnews.com @SROakleaf took the puppy SRJCOakleaf into the county’s after the procedure was OakleafNews completed. animal shelter where the us staffon named Doctors immediately Check started out CPR our website: Courtesy of Daniel Famini Like facebook Follow us on Instagram theoakleafnews her Darla and estimated she was and were successful in restarting her Veterinarians and volunteers cared for Darla in her last few days of life. www.theoakleafnews.com OakleafNews SRJCOakleaf between 12 and 14 weeks old. lungs and heart, but her cortical brain out ourthe website: message about function never returned. She died in grateful for everyone who provided Simona R. Stefanescu, SRJC Like us on facebook In a detailedCheck OakleafNews dog’s medical care, Dr. Daniel Famini, her sleep a few hours after surgery.

Darla with these last two weeks of marketing and social media www.theoakleafnews.com OakleafNews SRJC Vet Tech Program coordinator Famini expressed his gratitude to comfort and love.” coordinator, said the college put out Darla’s tragic story touched those a plea on Facebook asking people for Check out our website:and veterinarian at SCAS, said a those involved in caring for Darla. www.theoakleafnews.com veterinary orthopedic surgeon “I, along with everyone who has in the surrounding community and any information about the puppy. www.theoakleafnews.com offered to perform a special repair been involved with Darla, am truly spanned worldwide. The original Oak The post quickly reached more than she required, which the shelter was heartbroken at her outcome,” he said. Leaf article reached news media in 156,000 people and received more not able to provide.

“At the same time, I am sincerely France, Spain, England and Mexico. than 440 comments and 2,200 shares.

Connect

www.theoakleafnews.com

News

November 16, 2015

3

Healthcare symposium educates students In the

Know

Various healthcare agencies offer medical opportunities Kelsi Sibert Staff Writer It was a day filled with workshops, healthcare agencies and guest speakers for anyone interested in a career in mental health. Attendees had the opportunity to speak with different healthcare agencies and find out what they have to offer and discuss possible job and intern opportunities, Nov. 6 in the Bertolini Student Center dinning commons.

Rows of chairs surrounded by tables filled the rooms, inside and out of the dining commons, set up for different healthcare agencies to discuss the programs and services they offer.

Speakers of the day included Oscar Chavez, assistant director at Sonoma County Department of Human Services, and Susan Castillo, section manager at the Sonoma County Behavioral Health Division. Students had the opportunity to attend different workshops throughout the day and sample the resources around them in between the workshops.

Beth Karzes represented ForgetMe-Not Farm Children’s Services, a nonprofit animal assisted therapy

program for kids in foster care and/ or who have experienced violence at some time in their life. This program serves approximately 450 kids a year and has around 40 animals at their location. The children care for the animals, socialize with them and help grow and care for the gardens.

Representatives from the West County Health Centers spoke to students about their different clinics in Sebastopol, Gravenstein, Forestville and Guerneville. They also spoke about their services including dentistry and medical care; they have HIV and AIDs specialists, social workers and behavior health services. They will also offer services for the homeless, starting January.

“We’re really good about trying to help those who can’t afford [these services], or maybe who have some money and it’s not enough,” said West County Health Center representative Che’la Jernigan.

St. Joseph Health, a part of Memorial Hospital, had a station in the dining commons and discussed its services with attendees, such as the mobile clinic that goes around Sonoma County and treats people with minor medical conditions. It also administers health screenings, physicals, exams and immunizations.

LGBTQ Group Meetings

Benjamin Farren/ Oak Leaf

Health organizations reach out to college and high school students.

St. Joseph’s also offers programs to help teachers incorporate physical activity into their curriculum, and a circle of sisters program for girls 9 to 14 to teach healthy life choices.

Many of their services go out in to the community to help others.

“Our intent [is] to let people know we are out in the community,” said representative Leticia Romero.

The Sutter Health table, located next to St. Joseph’s table, discussed internships with guests.

“My main focus here is to try to attract students in some kind of health field, especially Latinos,” said Sutter Medical social worker Monica Robledo.

Xavier Nazario, University of San Francisco’s representative, spoke about the college’s popular

Oak Leaf’s sweet 16

marriage and family therapy program.

The program was related to many things discussed that day and USF offers this program in downtown Santa Rosa. High school students participating in this program have the opportunity to get their masters degree, become therapists and give back to the community.

Along with many other agencies representing themselves that day, guests had the opportunity to explore different aspects of the healthcare field and discover what interests them.

“I was expecting to learn a lot about the medical field and health and [things involved in health], and I did,” said ROP high school student Giselle Fonseca.

Student newspaper wins 16 JACC awards Luke Heslip Co-Editor-in-Chief

Oak Leaf staffers won 16 awards at the annual NorCal conference of the Journalism Association of Community Colleges Sacramento State University hosted Nov. 7.

Santa Rosa Junior College’s Oak Leaf staff received awards in four on-the-spot competitions and received 12 more from submission categories from spring 2015, including overall general excellence, an honor the conference only extended to four publications.

JACC has three major annual events; two regional conferences

in Northern and Southern California respectively in fall and a joint convention in spring.

The association has more than 40 member colleges.

The day-long event featured five deadline competitions, three of which Oak Leafers either placed in or won.

Co-Editor-in-Chief Faith Gates took first place in the news writing competition while Managing and News Editor Maci Martell finished fourth. The news writing competition centered on Cristi Hegranes’ keynote presentation.

Hegranes is the founder of the Global Press Institute and Global Press Journal, a nonprofit which trains and employs women

Courtesy of the Oak Leaf

The Oak Leaf staff wins general excellence for their dedication to fine journalism.

journalists in developing countries such as Rwanda.

“The news writing competition was tough and I really didn’t expect to win anything. It really taught me that it is possible to write stories right away and that’s what we need to do in this day and age,” Gates said.

Web Editor Rebecca Dominguez won third place in the editorial cartoon competition and Photo Editor Daniel Kong received honorable mention in the news photo and caption contest.

“I think it’s easier for photographers and multimedia people to network from the very beginning at these types of events because photographers have this thing where you can just point at somebody’s camera and say ‘dude nice lens’ and you have a conversation,” Kong said.

Several Oak Leaf alumni won recognition for their efforts last semester. Former Co-Editor-inChief Nate Voge took first and third for two editorials. Two term Layout Editor Chantelle Bogue clenched first and fourth for editorial cartoons and third place for an informational graphic.

Spring 2015 Opinion Editor Dominique Crawford won best column writing and longtime Sports Photo Editor Joseph Barkoff won fourth best photo essay.

Current Layout Editor Catherine Ramirez and Social

Media Editor Austin Burmester jointly won third place in video journalism for a video feature they made about student athlete concussions in spring.

“I didn’t know the video was entered so I was quite surprised when my name was called,” Ramirez said.

Sports Editor Parker DangersOncken ranked second for a sports game story, Arts and Entertainment Editor Estefany Gonzalez won third place for a non-profile feature article and Photo Editor Daniel Kong took second for news photography.

More than a dozen workshops and lectures accompanied the competitions, ranging from broadcast journalism to reporting on tragedy.

“It was great hearing from seasoned journalists what the state of the industry is and why they are still so interested in the news,” said Oak Leaf staff writer Brendan Dorsey.

Multimedia Editor Kyle Schmidt felt some of the workshops at JACC were discouraging. “I learned I should quit journalism because there are no job opportunities,” he said.

Overall, the Oak Leaf staff enjoyed the convention. “Going to JACC is fun and uplifting because you’re surrounded by unique people who share your passion for true journalism,” Martell said.

The Oak Leaf staff will attend JACC’s state conference March 2016.

Positive Images hosts weekly group meetings to provide education and support for LGBTQ youth, 7-9 p.m. Thursdays in the Bertolini Center for Student Leadership.

Coffee with a Cop

Students and community members can join to ask questions, voice concerns and get to know SRJC district police and Santa Rosa Police Department officers over a cup of coffee, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Nov. 18 in the Bertolini Student Center.

Climate Change

Marine ecologist Dr. Tom Suchanek presents projected climate change impacts on California and the rest of the globe, noon-1 p.m. Nov. 19 in the Bertolini Center for Student Leadership.

Police Brutality

Feminists United hosts a group meeting to discuss police brutality, 6-7 p.m. Nov. 20 in the Bertolini Center for Student Leadership.

Peril and the Promise

SRJC history instructor Laura Larque and librarian Nancy Persons facilitate a documentary screening and bilingual discussion on challenges the Latin community face in the political and economic world, 7-9:30 p.m. Nov. 20 in Southwest Santa Rosa Center at 950 S. Wright Rd.

Migrant Labor

Ernie Lowe presents a lecture on photographing migrant labor in 1965 as part of the Framing Migrant Labor series, noon-1 p.m. Dec. 1 in the Mahoney Reading Room on the Petaluma Campus.

Catchin’ Your Zzzs: Sleep, Stress & Student Success

PEERS Coalition hosts a workshop on the importance of sleep to reduce stress and achieve success, 4-6 p.m. Dec. 3 in the Bertolini Student Activities Center.

Super Saturdays

SRJC counselors offers information and services in English and Spanish for students to register for classes and complete assessment tests on Super Saturdays Dec. 5 and Jan. 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Bertolini Student Services Center and Plover Hall on the Santa Rosa campus and Jacobs Hall and Doyle Hall on the Petaluma campus.

4

November 16, 2015

News

www.theoakleafnews.com

HEP student wins national award

SRJC student Margarita Garcia pursues her passion to learn and become a teacher Gideon Halpin Staff Writer The High School Equivalency Program/College Assistance Migrants Program National Association awarded Margarita Garcia, 33, the Student Champion Award and a $300 scholarship Oct. 19 in Tampa, Florida.

She attends college, but not because her parents expect her to – no one expected her to have an education. After emigrating to the U.S. from Mexico 13 years ago, she worked cleaning houses and picking grapes. “All the time I had my dream to study,” Garcia said.

Despite raising two children and working, Garcia was determined to learn. In 2014 she started taking general education classes at Santa Rosa Junior College and, upon referral from an instructor, joined HEP. “I feel really happy to get there,” Garcia said about the award. “It motivated me to continue.” Out of more than 7,000 students in HEP nationwide, the organization chose her to receive the award.

A renewable federal five-year grant funds HEP to help migrant agricultural workers receive a

high school level education. “I believe the mission is to help these families settle down in one location and have a job more stable to help raise kids in a stable environment,” said HEP coordinator Beatriz Camargo.

SRJC received its first federal grant for HEP in 2012 and promotes education mainly toward agricultural workers in Marin, Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma counties.

Although HEP provides educational support and financial aid for books, exams and supplies, Garcia works endlessly to attain an education while raising a family.

“I never have free time,” she said.

She attends classes morning and evening, makes lunches for her family and helps her children with their homework at night. Her husband, Alex Carrada, is also a HEP student but often has to study at home because of work constraints.

Garcia plans to return to her hometown of San Jose, Zaragoza in Mexico to teach English and math as well as preschool and kindergarten.

“She is dedicated to helping others to learn like she is,” said HEP recruiter Enedina Vera.

“We can’t talk about education in the fields,” Garcia said. “They

Matthew Koch/ Oak Leaf

Leslie Mancillas compiles an anthology of body maps with local ESL students.

Crossing Cultures

SRJC museum features exhibit on students’ immigration stories Amy Reynolds Staff Writer

Daniel Kong/ Oak Leaf

SRJC student Margarita Garcia, recipient of the Student Champion Award, is dedicated to helping others. Garcia plans to go back to her hometown of San Jose, Zaragoza in Mexico to teach English and math in preschool and kindergarten.

tell us to stop; we have only one job there.” She now frequently volunteers advocacy for HEP. “When I get help from HEP I get excited and want to help other people,” she said.

This past May, more than 50 Santa Rosa Junior College English as a Second Language students took part in a Sonoma County Museum Exhibit entitled “Art and Storytelling: The Body Map Series.”

SRJC ESL and college skills instructor Leslie Mancillas and local artist Mario Uribe have been working with local ESL students to create and decorate storytelling body maps to portray their immigration experiences.

“I have people who are in the middle of these amazing stories, still trying to acclimate to life in this country,” Mancillas said.

“Their culture and their stories

are their strength. I hope people in the community will walk away with a deeper understanding of the challenges and dreams of immigrants in Sonoma County.”

The exhibit is coming to the SRJC Museum Nov. 16 and runs thru Dec. 7. The opening reception is 3 p.m. Nov. 17.

Mancillas hopes the exhibit accurately portrays the struggles and victories of the immigrants who left their native lands in pursuit of a better life. It will also serve as a reminder of the struggles people face that forces them into exile. “There are so many countries in the world where people are facing persecution and severe poverty,” she said. “Hopefully, this exhibit can help to open our hearts a little bit.”

Chicken Soup for the Soul wants college student stories Mitchell Garcia-Buckley Staff Writer

GET

A DEGREE IN MAKING A DIFFERENCE Graduate degrees in: Nursing • Teaching • Counseling Financial aid and scholarships available

Chicken Soup for the Soul is looking for students with stories of intolerance. The organization will pay $200 to students who submit stories and are published in their next book “Chicken Soup for the Soul: What’s Your Story?”

Chicken Soup for the Soul partnered with the Boniuk Foundation for this book. The Boniuk Foundation is a nonprofit organization aiming to inspire people to embrace their differences, reject stereotypes and make good choices.

“The Boniuk Foundation’s mission is to support the development of innovative techniques geared towards educating young and adult populations, in the hopes of producing universal tolerance, respect

bank is now Redwod Empire: Food accepting donations

CONTACT US TODAY

Luke Heslip

707.527.9612 santarosacampus@usfca.edu

Co-Editor-in-Chief

Information Meetings held at least once a month.

For dates, go to: www.usfca.edu/santarosa

CHANGE THE WORLD FROM HERE

and compassion among all individuals,” said Antonella Marafioti, a contest representative.

The main themes for stories are tolerance, rejecting stereotypes and becoming a better person. Experiences as bully’s targets or as victims of general intolerance are also topics of interest.

Judges comprised of college students and tolerance advocates are looking for true studentwritten stories in the first person. The stories also need to line up with the principles of the Boniuk Foundation.

“We would like story content to help fulfill that mission and show true, non-fiction stories and experiences about how you embraced differences,” Marafioti said.

Chicken Soup for the Soul aims to publish this book in August 2016, however it could take a few years to complete. It will include 101 stories from college students. Published students will also receive ten copies of the book.

The Redwood Empire Food Bank partnered with radio station SEIU Local 102.1 and Santa Rosa Junior College’s Classified Senate for a fall food drive with donation depots at the Santa Rosa and Petaluma campuses and the Public Safety Training Center.

Main campus collection stations are at Bailey Hall and Bertolini Student Center

in Santa Rosa and at the Mike Smith Hall bookstore in Petaluma.

Redwood Empire Food Bank guidelines lists canned and dry foods as ideal contributions and asks for no glass or homemade food donations.

“A lot of the times people think they might not need extra free food resources. but even if your working or maybe getting FAFSA you still might be able to get some help out of the community,” said Maria Fuentes, food connections coordinator at the Redwood Empire Food Bank.

5 News Dog abuser sentencing approaches www.theoakleafnews.com

November 16, 2015

Continued from cover...

“Because of the multiple fractures and the way the bone had callused, the leg was never going to work for the dog again, and so I had to amputate the leg,” Famini said.

In October of 2014, Famini brought x-rays of Daphne’s broken leg into his imagery and laboratory procedures class, Animal Health 151. The dog had just come into SCAS and was unidentified at the time.

Darien Smith, veterinary assistant and retired chief petty officer of the U.S. Navy for 20 years, was one of the students attending Famini’s class when he showed the puppy’s radiographs.

At the time, Smith worked as a kennel assistant at SRVH. Smith said she recalled a puppy they admitted having a badly healed fractured femur repaired and one of the veterinary assistants told her about the procedure, which involved a unique crosspin technique.

“It was very interesting, with crossed pins placed in the femur,” Smith said. “I had never seen anything like that, and it made a lasting impression on me.”

When Famini showed the x-rays of Daphne’s leg in class, Smith recognized the placement of the pins and said the timing, type of injury, age and breed all matched the puppy that came into the hospital months before.

Daniel Kong/ Oak Leaf

Since the incident, Daphne is in good health and has been adopted.

Famini brought the dog to SRVH where they confirmed Daphne’s x-rays matched the dog Smith heard about and they discerned through past medical records that the dog’s original owner induced the injuries and didn’t do anything about it.

According to Famini, a few weeks after the initial surgery McKnight refused to talk to the clinic about follow-up care and claimed he gave the dog to a shelter, when in reality he threw her in a creek. Famini said they believe he did so with the intention or idea she would die there.

Smith said if McKnight had taken Daphne to SCAS early on, she would have had a good chance for recovery and adoption.

“The previous owner had plenty of options for finding someone to take the puppy if he felt unable to take care of her,” Smith said. “Instead, he chose to throw an injured, helpless, baby animal into a garbage dump, regardless of the suffering it would cause her.”

Stormie Prosser was another student in Famini’s class when he showed the radiographs.

That’s when she made the connection between the abused animal and McKnight.

“I was immediately appalled and my brain was trying to connect the pieces,” she said. “It wasn’t until another classmate, who was working at the hospital the dog was seen at, said something about the man that made it click.”

Prosser worked at Countryside Rescue in Santa Rosa at the time when McKnight told her he had to give Daphne back to the rescue. She made the connection when a classmate mentioned his military status and she realized the dog matched McKnight’s dog’s description.

McKnight adopted another puppy from Countryside Rescue less than a week after he threw Daphne into the creek. Prosser said once she realized McKnight was the same man who abused Daphne, the kennel put a hold on the adoption and officials confiscated the dog from him.

“This was no accident. He

thought this all out and lied intentionally because he knew what he did was wrong,” Prosser said. “There is a special place in hell for those who hurt and let animals suffer.”

Famini brought Daphne into his nursing class, Animal Health 120, to show students an example of nursing and recovery in pre/ post-surgery. Student Shelby Reed recognized Daphne in person because McKnight brought the dog into Banfield Pet Hospital where Reed worked after he broke the dog’s leg the first time.

Doctors at Banfield took x-rays and recommended care for the dog but McKnight refused to treat her and defaulted on his bill for the consultation, which was sent Courtesy of Press Democrat to collections. Veterinarians didn’t administer initial care to the dog Specialists amputated Daphne’s broken leg after Animal Control rescued her from a creek ravine and brought her into Sonoma County Animal Services. until McKnight’s dog walker took her to SRVH. Over the objection of the DA’s sentencing should include Famini said he commonly uses office, Judge Conger said she a prohibition on ever being medical records from shelters might reduce the felony charge to allowed to own animals again. in class since they are public a misdemeanor, much to Famini The petition letter discusses the domain, but this was the first and Ravitch’s dismay. medical perspective of the case, time it led to solving an animal “I can’t understand what the depicting the suffering Daphne abuse case. “This only happened reasoning would be,” Famini had to endure for months due to because the students were sharp said. “The previous judge [Judge McKnight’s abuse and neglect. enough to recognize one of many Peter Ottenweller] said this was Prosser said she supports patients they clear abuse.”

Famini’s petition to maintain a see every week, In the DA’s felony conviction. “I hope that or one surgery press release, his crime will be recognized as “I think that a person Ravitch stated, animal cruelty, which is now a out of all the ones that come who has no concern “The Sonoma federal crime and felony, and not through,” he said.

County District brushed off.” for the life and The DA’s press Attorney’s Office Smith also said she supports release noted the takes issues of Famini’s position about suffering of another SRJC students’ animal abuse maintaining a felony conviction. living creature is involvement in the very seriously. “That puppy was a loving, living case when they When someone animal that didn’t deserve to be very dangerous.” recognized the dog takes care and treated like a piece of garbage. and traced her to control of an Who can say how much she - Darien Smith, McKnight, leading animal it is their suffered before she was rescued, veterinary assistant and obligation to his arrest. to and she could have died,” Smith Until his reasonably care said. “I think that a person SRJC alumnus sentencing for that animal. who has no concern for the life date, Judge Julie This defendant and suffering of another living Conger instructed fell far short of creature is very dangerous.”

McKnight to that standard.

Famini’s petition currently has complete 300 hours of community The delay in sentencing and just more than 3,000 supporters service, concentrating his service consideration of a reduced charge and needs 5,000 signatures to hours in various animal shelters to are not supported by the gravity reach its goal. This is the link demonstrate his remorse. Famini of the offense.” to the petition: https://www. said the decision to have McKnight Famini created an online c h a n g e . o r g / p / j u d g e - j u l i e volunteer at animal shelters was petition to persuade Judge conger-animal-torture-is-not“inherently problematic and Conger not to reduce the charges. acceptable-maintain-mcknightwrong-headed.”

He also thinks part of McKnight’s s-felony-conviction.

Student employees to receive wage hike in December

Board of Trustees votes to increase the minimum wage to $10 an hour for students Brendan Dorsey Staff Writer

The Sonoma County Junior College District Board of Trustees approved a pay raise for student employees Nov. 10, from $9 to $10 an hour.

Santa Rosa Junior College will enact the raise on Dec. 10.

The raise pre-empts a California minimum wage hike to $10 an hour starting Jan. 1, 2016.

Without debate or comment at the board meeting, Board President Jeff Kunde approved the motion with a unanimous vote, quickly moving to the next item on the agenda.

Currently, SRJC employs about 300 students. A student employee is generally someone pursuing an educational goal at SRJC on at least a half-time basis, and works in a student position. Student employees may not work more than 25 hours per week, according to college policy.

“I know some people who have issues with paying bills [doing] student work. Even with a second job they have a hard time,” said Felicia Heilig, SRJC student employee. She said she believes the minimum wage needs to be higher.

“Anything that helps offset the high cost of living, the absurd Sonoma County rent and textbook prices, but it will probably be minimal relief,” Student Government Assembly President Josh Pinuala said about the wage increases’ impact on students.

“This definitely will have a great impact on me,” said SRJC student employee Matthew Koch. “Working

for only so much an hour as a student for a part-time job, any sort of pay raise greatly helps my case.”

“The impact on the college’s budget is minimal, as the cost of this student employment wage increase does not have a large effect on the overall budget. No job cuts will occur as a result of the increased wages,” said SRJC President Frank Chong.

SRJC, sometimes known for its progressive policies, lags behind the University of California System student pay. The University of California System approved raising its minimum wage in June to $15 an hour. The UC system will phase in

this raise over the next two years.

“Studies have shown that students who are employed on campus have higher persistence and completion rates because they feel more a part of the college and have a steady support from within the college,” Chong said.

Although Pinuala believes student employment makes SRJC stronger, he expressed concerns for students: “Student employees compared to everyone else get paid the least. Also, student employees have no benefits or rights.”

Pinuala said the SGA will soon introduce a resolution to address student employee rights.

6

November 16, 2015

A&E

www.theoakleafnews.com

Estefany Gonzalez / Oak Leaf

Sage Fifield (right) and Kevin Carducci (left) of The Easy Leaves duo enjoy a beer in Carducci’s cozy home located in the heart of Roseland. The pair have spent the last eight years travling the world and playing music together.

Band of the week The Oak Leaf meetsThe Easy Leaves Estefany Gonzalez A&E Editor

High in the clouds an airplane engine roars, but it’s not the only sounds booming 39,000 feet above ground. Aboard a plane from San Francisco to Denver, the passengers of United Airlines flight 540 hear The Easy Leaves duo play the first concert on an airplane. The Roseland locals preformed sweet country tunes, like “Crack Another Bottle” over the onboard PA system.

Guitar player Sage Fifield and bass player Kevin Carducci started performing together eight years ago and have since gone on month-long tours across the U.S., played the main stage at Outside Lands and had their music videos featured on Country Music Television.

Though the duo sometimes plays with a full band, the heart of The Easy Leaves is in the songs Carducci and Fifield write. Locally, Dave Zirbel often plays pedal steel, electric guitar or banjo with the band. Other concert regulars include Vicente Roderiguez on drums and Kyle O’Brien on fiddle.

“We have tour bands we pick up different places we go,” Carducci said.

The two first met while playing open mic nights around Sonoma County in 2007. Fifield finished his teaching degree at Sonoma State University but decided to pursue his passion for music.

“I was a working class guy and college student throughout my entire life. I had always written songs and played guitar since I was a young kid,” he said. “When I finished at Sonoma State I said, ‘Well I’m either gonna try and do something with these songs I’ve written or I’m gonna teach English.’”

Fifield’s songs caught Carducci’s

attention during their open mic runins. “I definitely had my ear out looking for people to collaborate with, and honestly, out of all of the open mics I went to, Sage was the only one writing consistently good songs,” he said.

The two admit playing in front of a crowd was hard at the beginning of their careers and they had to push themselves to get onstage.

“I was just trying to get comfortable with it, doing it as much as I possibly could,” Fifield said. “It’s the kind of thing you get better at – I had horrible stage fright.”

At the time, Carducci just moved to the North Bay from Oregon and was working as an outdoor education teacher and on a farm. Although Carducci started playing country music in college he was still nervous.

“I was definitely forcing myself to do it because it’s kinda uncomfortable.

But you know that it makes you better when you do, or even a more relaxed person in general,” he said.

The pair said they were drawn together because they were both doing the same thing at the same time and had similar tastes in music. Carducci said their shared inappropriate humor helped.

Though the pair started playing together and hit it off musically, Carducci left the North Bay in 2008 to tour across the country on a selfsupported tour with friends he had in Pennsylvania. Once the tour was over, he decided to fly back home. It was on that plane ride he knew he wanted to continue playing with Fifield.

“I was listening to iPod shuffle on the plane ride and one of the recordings I made of me and Sage working on some song came on. I was like ‘Maybe I’ll call that guy up and we can try to start a project when I get back home,’” Carducci said.

From there, the pair played wherever they could. The more places they played, the more they would meet people having a party or who knew someone at a winery looking for a band to play at an event. “It seems like we got progressively busier throughout the years just by knocking on doors or through word of mouth,” Fifield said.

Soon the duo found themselves playing up to three events per day.

Eventually, all the small shows lead to bigger and bigger ones.

Now, two full-length albums and an EP later, the band shares about touring, playing Outside Lands, and what it was like to play the first concert on an airplane.

What is the biggest show you’ve ever played?

Carducci: “Outside Lands was probably the biggest thing we’ve done.

There’s probably like 100,000 people that go to that thing. We were playing on the same stage as Willy Nelson.

They were finishing sound checking when it was time to do our check. That was all Willy’s crew and all his gear on stage, except for his guitar. That was surreal. And just getting to hang backstage and rub elbows with those guys, that was cool.”

Fifield: “Pickathon was really cool, we did that one just last spring. That one was great. Very creative festival grounds. And the camping was all up in the woods so it was really neat.”

Carducci: “Actually the Pickathon festival we were playing at, they were filming an episode of ‘Portlandia’ at the festival called ‘Pickathon.’ It’s gonna be airing soon I guess.”

What’s the difference between playing with a full band or as a duo?

Fifield: “When you play as a duo, I think you work a little bit harder because you have to put a little more out there. With a band it’s nice because you can kinda relax a little bit more.”

Carducci: “When you’re playing with a band, everyone is hitting the downbeats at the same time and there’s just more power and energy there and that’s super fun when everyone’s

locked in. It’s fun as a duo too, but when it’s bigger it’s exponential. The energy is more powerful.”

How did you end up playing a live show on an airplane?

Carducci: “We wouldn’t have done it if the captain hadn’t of forced us to.

He approached us in the terminal. He saw us with our guitars and asked us what we we’re up to, and we told him were a band traveling to a gig.”

Fifield: “He said, ‘you’re gonna play on the plane then right?’”

Carducci: “We said, ‘Good one captain Scott’, and he said, ‘No I’m serious.’ So we worked out a deal that we would do it for free drinks.”

Fifield: “It was very smooth, no turbulence. The flight attendants were so nice. They were so nice you wouldn’t believe how happy they were.

They were amazing.”

Carducci: “We played into the intercom, she [the flight attendant] pressed the button and held it [the intercom] in front of us.”

What do you like to listen to on the road?

Fifield: “We listen to lots of podcasts, we’ll go on old benders, we’ll listen to old hip-hop favorites and we’ve gone through a Journey phase. Outkast hits are always a go-to.”

Carducci: “Montel Jordan even made an appearance some time randomly.”

Fifield: “It really can go across the board, there’s no standard playlist.”

Carducci: “It just depends on how drunk the DJ is, the passenger, not the driver.”

Continued on page 8 . . .

Courtesy of The Easy Leaves

“They were extremly excited,” said Fifield about the crowd’s reaction to The Easy Leaves live preformance on a United Airlines flight. “No one had ever seen that before.”

Upcoming Shows

Friday, Nov. 27. 7:30p.m. Fox Theatre. Oakland, CA. With Jackie Greene and Nikki Bluhm and The Gramblers Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016. Great American Music Hall. San Fransisco, CA. With the Vivants and DJ Golden Gram.

www.theoakleafnews.com

Tiny houses for tiny wallets

A&E

November 16, 2015

7

SRJC club builds houses for Shone Farm students Taylor Kong Staff Writer With rising rent costs in Sonoma County, Shone Farms is working away at its own solution: tiny houses.

The “tiny house” is a new trend based on the use of literal tiny houses.

While the average square footage of a house in the U.S. is 2,600 square feet, a typical tiny house is between 100 and 400 square feet. With such a small size comes a small price tag, which fulfills a major goal of affordable housing.

Santa Rosa Junior College student Chelsey Kolbeck helped found the SRJC Tiny House Club, which is a product of the tiny house movement.

She, along with club president Alan Hamilton, started the club with fellow students.

“Our members recognized a need for affordable and secure housing for students, future farmers and ranchers who are experiencing the high costs of education coupled with escalating housing expenses,” Kolbeck said.

Regarding their mission

statement she said, “Our vision is to create a housing program that provides students with an opportunity to directly participate in the building and ownership of their own home, the goal being to provide students and future farmers with sustainable housing.”

Hamilton is the foreman of the club, leading the main construction of their model house. He has experience as a carpenter and has focused on tiny housing for a while.

Other members help in a variety of ways; Kolbeck makes bars, coffee tables and kitchen tables.

As the club is still new, it has not yet completed constructing a house.

The club is currently working on a model to accurately estimate the cost of allowing students to live in the houses. “This model will generate its own electricity, harvest and recycle its own collected water, built from the milled wood of our own woodland forest,” Kolbeck said.

In addition, the club has set high goals. The club’s expectation is to have five to six houses on the farm, because

Daniel Kong/ Oak Leaf

The Tiny House Club hosts a demo at Shone Farm Fall Festival featuring the skeleton of a tiny house and photos of constructed ones.

of the average number of students on the farm per semester. However, the houses need to be cheap to reach the goal of making affordable housing for students. The club’s president, Alan Hamilton, estimates $25,000 a house but Kolbeck said she aims lower at $12,000.

To apply to live in a tiny house, students must work 12 hours a week on the farm and be a full-time student.

Once accepted, the student will not only live in the tiny house, but will learn how to make one themselves.

When the student graduates and earns their degree, they have the option to “buy into” the house. If they choose to, they help pay for the house for a few years before assuming ownership of it.

However, housing isn’t the only form of new sustainability at Shone

Farm. Produce first goes to fueling its own needs, before putting another portion aside for their CSA members and other organizations. If the farm has surplus past that, it usually gets sent to the food bank or compost.

Kolbeck talked about a new process called “Value Added,” which used surplus to make canned goods such as jams, salsas, pasta sauce, and pickled beets using some of their more “unseemly” produce. These canned goods are then sold, fully utilizing the farm’s produce as well as putting some money back into the farm. Kolbeck also said that the money earned from Value Added could be used to help fund the club as well.

At the moment, the club is entirely dependent on Shone Farm resources.

Since many members are involved with Shone Farm already, they have

access to a mill as well as 120 acres of woodland from which they harvest wood to make furniture for tiny houses. However, this also means they have little financial support.

“Right now it’s just pure donations,” Kolbeck said regarding the origins of their funds. “Any individual, any sponsor, any non-profit, large organization, corporation.”

Outside of donations, the club has a few members who are also culinary students. They help the club have bake sales. One of the earlier meetings was essentially a workday, when the entire club got together to push their agenda.

Along with continuing the construction of their tiny houses, the Tiny House Club plans to host a farm to table dinner on Feb. 20, 2016 to support this project.

Sally insulting Charlie Brown at every opportunity, Linus offering sage advice to Charlie Brown while clinging to his security blanket and Peppermint Patty sleeping through class while Marcy tries to wake her. And of course there’s Charlie Brown’s dog Snoopy, who steals every scene he’s in whether he’s actually helping his owner or living in his own vivid fantasies as the World War I Flying Ace. It gives the film a very episodic feel, much like the comic it’s based on.

The film digs into its extensive archive of classic comics and cartoon specials for material, resulting in a movie heavy with nostalgia for everyone who has grown up with Snoopy and the gang. The film lifts snippets of dialogue from the comics and the music predominantly uses familiar tunes, such as the classic “Linus and Lucy.” Even the animation evokes this, done in such a way to harken back to the sketchy, poorly animated early specials. The total lack of cell phones and more modern trappings make the movie feel like it’s stuck in a time warp.

The animation’s blending of traditional 2D with advanced CGI gives it a look that’s simultaneously familiar and like nothing else onscreen. And these are still some of the most beloved characters in fiction. Charlie Brown has always been unique compared to other protagonists because he tries as hard as he can and still fails, a breath of fresh air among the glut of “try hard enough and you can do anything!” protagonists in other all-ages films.

The fact he’s always so optimistic and tries his hardest, no matter how hard he falls, makes us root for him all the more and makes his rare accomplishments all the greater, even if it’s as simple as finally talking to the girl he’s always liked.

Fans of “Peanuts” will find plenty to like here, as the movie went out of its way to stay as true to Schulz’s original vision as possible. New fans will also find plenty to enjoy in the likeable characters and heartwarming story. It’s a fun way to spend an evening and a worthy successor of the “Peanuts” brand.

Pop popcorn for‘Peanuts’ Alex T. Randolph Copy Editor

Courtesy of impawards.com

Charlie Brown teaches kids it’s okay to fail as long as they try in “The Peanuts Movie.”

It’s your first ever CGI film, Charlie Brown!

Even if you’ve never read Charles “Sparky” Schulz’s seminal comic strip, or seen one of the many TV specials over the past 50 years, you know exactly whom Snoopy, Charlie Brown and Lucy are. “Peanuts” is one of the most influential and memorable American comics of all time.

It’s no surprise, then, the franchise would eventually get its own CGI film – if anything, it’s surprising it’s taken this long.

“The Peanuts Movie” opens with Charlie Brown, everyone’s favorite little round-headed kid, starting a new school year. When a certain Little RedHaired Girl joins the class, Charlie Brown is immediately smitten and sets out to impress her, even if he can’t make eye contact with her without running away. Charlie Brown spends the school year trying to succeed at various things and failing every time, all to impress a girl who he’s convinced doesn’t know he exists. Throughout this bare-bones plot are scenes fans have come to expect, such as the constantly crabby

8

November 16, 2015

Nifty thrifting:

A&E

www.theoakleafnews.com

Original, inventive and casual clothing The Easy Leaves Continued from page 6... styles at cheap costs for SRJC students

Nikki Goetz Staff Writer

Black knee-high leather spiked boots, a brown velvet dress and purple velvet heels. These are a few of the items some Santa Rosa Junior College students and alumni have bought from thrift stores.

Like Macklemore said, pop some tags, all you need is $20 in your pocket. By thrifting you can still walk away with a unique style of clothes.

What was once someone’s old pair of bellbottoms is another person’s new pair of pants.

Maria Sanchez has thrifted since she was a little girl. Her mother would take her to Goodwill as a child for school clothes because she didn’t have enough money to buy high-end apparel.

“I didn’t grow up wearing the latest trends,” Sanchez said. “My mom had me at a young age and could only afford clothes from bargain stores. I never really cared though because I thought the clothes made me feel unique.”

Sanchez shops at thrift stores a few times a month. She tends to go for the less common items, like knee-high spiked leather boots and a short navy dress.

“I get complimented a lot from people saying how they love my unique style. People ask me where I get my clothes and I’ll either say Goodwill or Plato’s Closet. I’ve never gotten any bad criticism,” Sanchez said.

Ilana Kimmelman got into thrift shopping in her mid-teens and shops

Craig Gettman/ Oak Leaf

SRJC students (Right to Left) Katie Kitchel, Tyler Smith, Hannah Skoonbert sport affordable finds from trendy local thrift

regularly at bargain stores like Goodwill and Salvation Army. She loves vintage clothing and feels she can only find it at thrift shops. The best thing she found was a pair of bright purple velvet heels.

“I’ve bought stuff that I never wore, a total impulse like, ‘yeah I’m going to totally wear that,’ and never did,” Kimmelman said.

Merisha Lemmer loves to go thrift shopping. She goes in not knowing what she’ll find and loves being surprised by the unique clothes she sees.

“You’re not giving into the consumer cycle. It doesn’t feel overwhelming and you always get to see something unique,” Lemmer said.

Her favorite thrift item she bought is a brown velvet vintage dress that she saved up for when she was 10 years old.

Whenever she needs new clothes, the thrift shops are her first stop. Lemmer shops most in the summer for shirts and dresses to go out in.

Alma Zuniga, unlike many, does not enjoy thrift shopping because of a bad experience she had shopping with her sister in 2005.

“I got this bad vibe, like someone was watching me and my sister. When I turned around there were two store employees behind us,” Zuniga said.

She said she sensed the two employees following her. She felt like they were waiting for her and her sister to steal something and kick them out. It reminded Zuniga of a story her mom told her about when she went thrift shopping and thought employees watched her.

“I have never felt so uncomfortable shopping. I haven’t bargain shopped since because I don’t want to go through that again,” Zuniga said.

When Zuniga wants to get cheap clothes she’ll go to Wal-Mart. She’s been shopping there more in the last few months to buy maternity clothes and infant clothes for her unborn child.

“I do most of my shopping there and the employees there are incredibly nice when I need to try on clothes and find something. I have found great clothes really cheap there,” Zuniga said.

Though not for everyone, thrift shopping is a way to discover off-the-wall styles and get good deals that’ll make you want to shop util you drop.

What’s the longest you’ve gone without a shower on tour?

Carducci: “I’ve gone a week but not with Sage, he’d freak out.”

Fifield: “I grew up in the sticks and we didn’t have running water but my mom still made us take a bath every day. We had no electricity, no running water but we took baths every day. If at all possible I try to bathe every day. I’ve bathed in sinks before, a little horse bath. It’s great, you feel like a million bucks.”

What are your travel essentials?

Fifield: “Cowboy hats have become pretty essential.”

Carducci: “Socks, as many socks as you can fit in a bag. That’s the tour essential.”

Which musician would you most want to meet, dead or alive?

Carducci: “I was listening to this Waylon record where he’s smoking on the cover. Man, to have a cigarette with Waylon. What, you’ve got like 20 minutes in the time it takes to smoke a cigarette, what could you talk about with a guy like Waylon Jennings? You have to pick your questions. That guy played in Buddy Holly’s band, dude did it all.”

Fifield: “Hank Williams [senior] but he’s still alive and the thing with anyone still alive is, that there’s still a chance you might be able to meet them. Given this question, there’s no way I’ll ever be able to meet a dead person, so it’s gotta be someone dead in my thinking. John Lennon would be pretty cool.”

Astrology

-Haley Bollinger, Features Editor

Aries: When you run through life going

about like a robot, the little things that make a mundane day beautiful pass you by. It won’t be until you stare at a squirrel squirming up a tree and laugh when it loses it nuts that you’ll think, “Dang, I need to pause and appreciate the present more.”

Libra: Genuine communication is losing its

allure in our technological era. You feel compelled to bring back a bit of old-fashioned fun. Invite people over for a dinner party, tell them it’s a no-phone affair and buy a few disposable Kodak cameras. It’ll remind them not everything in life needs to be instant.

Taurus: One of the tricks of life is to not care what Scorpio: A way to start meditation is to others think of you. Allowing other people’s words and actions to affect you in a negative way causes needless suffering. Realize a person’s opinion has nothing to do with ultimate truth.

let the thoughts you have flow through your mind, recognize they exist, but do not let emotions attach to them. Meditation is all about letting attachment go and simply existing.

Gemini: Don’t act like a turkey at upcoming Sagittarius: Don’t assume someone knows family gatherings. Part of adulthood is contributing to the party and no longer being the whining teenager lost in their phones.

Appreciate your parents and grandparents; they won’t always be there to annoy you.

how you feel or what you want. And don’t assume you know how someone feels or what they want. When you don’t make assumptions it can take away drama that was never needed and create a healthy way to communicate.

Cancer: Routine keeps your moods steady.

Capricorn: Your humor is part of the

Leo: The time to travel is now. Take a weekend

Aquarius: Speak with integrity, stop the

Virgo: Pretending something doesn’t exist

Pisces: Your growth is like a stream in a withering

If you’ve recently neglected exercise, a hobby or something that brings you joy, make sure to recognize it. Otherwise, you’ll dig yourself into a hole and be crabby and sour to people around you.

trip and visit a friend who moved, or drive to the beach and ponder the lives of the creatures who inhabit the waves. If you can’t afford to travel, your imagination can take you anywhere. doesn’t make it disappear. Suppressing it makes it appear again with twice the power. Face your fears. You possess more strength and intelligence than you grasp.

foundation that makes you the lovable person you are. Keep cracking the corny jokes; even if you don’t get a laugh every time, your efforts put out positivity into any environment you accompany.

inner negativity and do not gossip about others. Communicate from a place of love. There is enough tragedy in this world. drought. A dark shadow casts above and you weep in green pastures that are half-grown and halfgrieved. Figure out what in your life is like a lily to a cat, toxic and a trap.

www.theoakleafnews.com

Cafeteria lunch gamble

A&E

November 16, 2015

Weighing price against time Devin Schwarz

On Cue Calendar of Events

Nov. 17 Plant Sale – Students may purchase a variety of plants to benefit Horticulture Scholarships for students from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Lark Hall Greenhouse Courtyard.

Assistant A&E Editor Imagine you’re looking for somewhere to go out for dinner.

Some places are cheaper, some a little pricey, some are healthier, some a little greasy, some are pristine and some are a little grimy—what do you pick? This choice is condensed into a single room at Santa Rosa Junior College’s cafeteria.

Time and money are the two most important considerations for college students. When it comes to lunch at SRJC, the stars do not always align.

For the past week I ate at the campus cafeteria for lunch every day, sampled almost every dish it offers and came to a few conclusions. While the food quality is surprisingly sufficient, there is a serious portion deficiency and the prices are inconsistent.

When people picture school cafeterias, the most prominent images are probably cold meatloaf, half-baked pizza and sloppy-joe mystery meat. Without visiting SRJC’s cafeteria these may be the only images in your mind as well, but this simply isn’t the case here. There is a variety ranging from pizza to burritos and even Chinese food. Nothing but the customer is left half-baked and there is minimal mystery meat.

9

Nov. 18 “Being John Malkovich” – The Cinema Series screens this critically acclaimed feature, following the life of an unsatisfied puppeteer who discovers a door to a world where he can become a famous actor. The film will screen from 6-10 p.m. at the Carole L. Ellis Auditorium on the Petaluma campus.

Daniel Kong/ Oak Leaf

An SRJC employee makes a fresh burrito at the Santa Rosa cafeteria where students can choose cuisine from different world regions.

The first thing to try is the salad bar. With three choices of lettuce and a spread of toppings, there’s almost no way to go wrong. That is, unless you want a dressing other than ranch or Italian. The salad bar offers variety, but it seems these choices only cater to one basic flavor palate. Despite this, I still believe the salad bar is one of the best options in the cafeteria.

One cannot eat at SRJC without trying the seasoned curly fries. Nearly anyone who’s had them will tell you just how awesome they are. Put them

next to a juicy cheeseburger, close your eyes and you’ll have no idea you’re eating at a college cafeteria.

The problem is it simply isn’t possible for someone on a student’s budget to eat at the cafeteria every day and have variety. While there are cheaper options, none of them healthy in the slightest.

The idea of having affordable and quick options for student dining is ambitious and something SRJC would be able to accomplish if it weren’t for their hiked prices and

small portions. Most entrees cost $5-8 with a side and drink. A meal at the school can cost upwards of $12 and this is only for a single meal — eating breakfast and lunch and potentially a snack between your 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. class could cost you nearly $25. Multiply this by every school day in a semester and you have a bill to rival your car payments.

The cafeteria here is a mixed bag of healthy, expensive, greasy and cheap, but if you need ready-made food in a flash there really is no other choice.

Nov. 20 “Peril and the Promise: The Challenges We Face” – Nancy Persons will host the screening of the final episode of the documentary series “Latino Americans” at 7 p.m. in the Southwest Center.

Dec. 2 “Timbuktu” – The Cinema Series premieres the story of the occupation of Timbuktu and the lives of the citizens of the city. The feature will show at 6 p.m. in the Carole L. Ellis Auditorium.

-Kyle Schmidt, Multimedia Editor

A Spoon

F

I

Top: Productin Manager Risa Aratyr and Set Designer Peter Crompton survey crew and actors during a tech rehearsal.

The department is going all out for this performance, saying it’s the biggest production SRJC has put on.

Middle: The light tech crew operates above Burbank Auditorium on catwalks made up of tension suspended wire.

Bottom: Crew works on a tech table placed on auditorium seats during tech rehearsals instead of in the control booth.

Story by Faith Gates, Photos by D

n early Mary Poppins books, a bird flies in and talks to twin toddlers, John and Barbara Banks, whom the movie adaption does not mention. They have conversations until eventually the bird comes and the kids can’t understand him anymore. The bird asks Mary Poppins why that is and she responds, “They’ve grown out of their wonderment of the world.”

Santa Rosa Junior College’s Theatre Department hopes to bring back that wonderment with its musical adaption of “Mary Poppins” opening Nov. 20.

“It’s the biggest production SRJC has put on,” said Theatre Department Chair and Artistic Director Leslie McCauley, who mentioned the department likes to do big musical productions for the end of the fall semester, during the holiday season. “It’s our gift to the community.”

According to McCauley, SRJC has been on the waiting list to do “Mary Poppins” for years. She explained that companies hold the rights to movies until all the major stages, like Broadway, have performed them, and then they release the rights. This is the reason Spreckles Performing Arts Center did “Mary Poppins” just this May. The show has a cast of 32 people, with Alanna Weatherby playing Mary Poppins and Noah Sternhill playing Bert. It incorporates aspects of the books, movie and play, including some additional elements the cast added.

“I grew up with Mary Poppins; she was a very big figure in my life.

As soon as I told my dad I was cast as Mary Poppins he said, ‘Well of course you were, you are Mary Poppins,’” Weatherby said. “It was one of my very favorite childhood shows and movies and I read the book just recently. Every single element is very heartwarming, and it inspires hope in a lot of people, which I’m definitely about. She’s such an iconic character to play and I just hope I’m doing her justice.”

Weatherby performed in her first SRJC play in 2012 in a student project, but has acted since she was eight years old, including four years with Santa Rosa High School’s ArtQuest program. She is looking forward to playing the same role Julie Andrews did in the 1964 Disney adaption of “Mary Poppins.”

“Julie Andrews was such a big, huge influence in my life and is one of my very favorite role models. She inspires me in so many ways, with her class and her sophistication,” Weatherby said. “Her quality of holding herself in very high regard but also being humble, which is one of my main rules. Always be humble. Don’t let your head get too big. You always have to keep your feet on the ground, even when you’re in the air.”

Sternhill, meanwhile, wasn’t too interested in the show initially, but auditioned to challenge himself and see if he had what is takes to be a lead.

“In the rehearsal process, I’ve really grown a further appreciation for the show. That’s when I was able to notice and appreciate the little nuances and the things that could be easily looked over,” he said. “If I wasn’t in the show, my opinion of the show would be less. Being in the show has made me grow an appreciation for it.”

Not all of the cast can be leads, but the ensemble is definitely taking to heart the saying “there are no small parts.” Ensemble member Coleton Wilson joined because he enjoys dancing and acting, but it’s also been a big lesson for him, especially in improving his singing.

“I’m totally fine being in the ensemble, doing all the fun dance things

while the lead ac people feel thing to fill that desire.

Nico Netz ne musical debut, b “This is a grea happening for e great,” Netz said always want to st you, you’re not a The entire cas parts. They rehe from 5-11 p.m. besides Monday entire departmen “I firmly do b on. Just in terms wise and everyt park-keeper.

“Definitely th grandeur,” Weath that go into it; w Because every give units to thos costumes, stage m The crew is earni an ensemble mem and a half for sin parts. Most of t some have been “The designers season was ann There were prod first weekend of afterwards,” said “We have a fab instruction here country. I feel re Katie Wiggleswo pure dedication we have a fabulo the best costume and we have a gr While the show a lot of transform themselves and t “I know there I know this, fo ever been on.

Weatherby said nervous quality calm and collec

n Full of

Sugar

Daniel Kong

ctors, who are really good at acting, are out there making gs,” Wilson said. “There’s enough acting in the dancing . Often times we get the more crazy, ridiculous stuff.” ver considered himself a singer, and this will be his but he is happy with his part in the ensemble. at show to be ensemble because there’s a lot of fun stuff ensemble, like a lot of big dance numbers and it’s just d. “It’s a great musical, great show to start off and you tart as an ensemble. You don’t have so much pressure on a lead.” st has worked hard ever since members assumed their earse every day besides Monday and Saturday usually As opening night approaches, they meet every day y. It isn’t just the cast putting in effort though, as the nt has been doing its best. believe that it’s the biggest production SRJC has put s of all the demands of the show, technical and design thing,” said Gustavo Ceron-Mendoza, who plays the

he costumes are a lot more big on the spectacle of herby said. “There is a lot of spectacular visual elements we fly.” y play has so many demands, SRJC has a class system to se who help. There are classes for makeup, stage crafting, management and the music for the play, to name a few. ing units based on what they do in the show. For example mber gets 4.5 units for the show — two for dancing, one nging and one for acting — but it is different for other the workers started on it once the semester began, but working on it even longer. rs have been designing it since last year. As soon as the nounced, the designers have been working on ideas. duction meetings over the summer, auditions were the f classes and the first rehearsal was the first Tuesday d stage manager Amy Quinn, an SRJC alumnus. bulous, fabulous theater department. I am getting some that I couldn’t get from some of the top schools in the eally lucky, this is a great program to go through,” said orth, who plays Winifred Banks in the play. “There is and passion that comes from a lot of our educators and ous tech department here. Maryanne [Scozzari] is one of e designers I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with reat core of directors work through here.” w may impress those who see it, there has already been mation going on with the cast behind the scenes, both in the cast environment as a whole. e is not gong to be a dry eye in the house because or me, is one of the most emotional processes I’ve I find myself changing and adapting everyday,” d. “It’s definitely helped with my confidence; I had a y about me before and now I’m channeling that into cted and just taking a breath and going into a room

Top Center: Weatherby is going all out for her role of Mary Poppins, including dying her hair to fit better with the wig. “It’s the most beautiful wig I’ve ever seen.

I’m treating it like it’s a little baby,” Weatherby said. She feels pampered by all the attention to her costume and wig.

Top Right: Four young girls were cast to play the two roles of Jane and Michael Banks. Both of the girls cast to play Michael are daughters of SRJC faculty.

Bottom: AlannaWeatherby, who plays Mary Poppins, was hesitant to fly at first because of her fear of heights, but after her first time in the air she loved it.

and brightening it.”

Sternhill echoes the change he’s seen in himself by his growth in responsibility and a greater understanding of what he is capable of. A lot of change ensued simply because of the connection each person has with their role, especially Weatherby as she wants to mirror a lot of aspects of Mary Poppins.

“I find myself adapting into and be able to walk down the street with my head held high. Because she kind of inspires that in a lot of people, like keep that smile on your face, raise your head high, don’t worry about what the rest of the world thinks, be strange and embrace that different quality,” Weatherby said.

Wilson describes the environment as always fun but also very professional, while Ceron-Mendoza describes it as ordered chaos, but both agree to the fun experience the play is as a whole.

“It’s supposed to be happy and jolly and a good time for people so I think “Mary Poppins” shows to all of its audiences that life is this magical thing, if you let it be,” Ceron-Mendoza said. “I think it really speaks to a call for self fulfillment. I feel like when people watch this show they’re gonna think, ‘I have so much potential, untapped potential that I’ve never thought about or accessed and it’s all in the realm of possibility if you just grab it and fly.’”

Children play the roles of Jane and Michael Banks, which creates a more family environment behind the scenes.

The roles each have two children cast, and interestingly both girls cast to play Michael are children of SRJC faculty — Robert Ethington, dean of student affairs, and Jurgen Kremer, behavior sciences faculty.

“It’s not just a family-oriented show, it’s a really family-orientated cast process. Everyone that’s been working together has been working

together for so many months, and with the kids around, there’s a really natural, warm, family-friendly feeling to being here. It’s really good,” Wigglesworth said. “This cast in particular really, really focuses on making sure that everyone feels warm and apart of the process.”

Quinn enjoys the environment and getting to know new people, and Wigglesworth echoes this saying her passion for the art is what gives her the confidence to continue. All seemed to have an interest in theatre in their future in one form or another.

“I can’t see my life without theater or the arts. They definitely help with everything else. It’s like a venting kind of place, you get to bare yourself. You get to show people your art. I never felt more at home than I do on stage. I feel whole,” Weatherby said. “That’s kind of what theater is about, putting yourself out there, risks and all, putting yourself out there and telling the world ‘Here I am, these are my bruises, these are my scrapes, take me or leave me.’’’

“Mary Poppins” plays at Burbank Auditorium Nov. 20, 21, 27 and 28, as well as Dec. 3, 4 and 5 at 7:30 p.m. A matinee will also commence Nov. 22, 28 and 29 and Dec. 5 and 6 at 1:30 p.m.

The running time will be about two and a half hours, including an intermission. Tickets are available online at theatrearts.santarosa. edu/buy-tickets-online as well as in the box office in Burbank.

Tickets start at $22 for general, with seniors and students at $16 and children 12 and under for $12.

“I hope that people take away what I’ve felt about the show from the beginning and that’s just keep your hopes up, keep your head up high, and just smile at the strangeness of the world,” Weatherby said.

12

November 16, 2015

Features

www.theoakleafnews.com

Be cool and maneuver the school Matthew Koch Staff Writer A cloud comforts you as you float blissfully with your beloved companion, Chuck Norris, through a candy-coated landscape, indulging in the sugary commodities materializing around you.

“This has to be a dream,” you think to yourself as you are suddenly startled awake. Ripped from your rapturous slumber, the sound of your alarm greets you, ferociously swearing at you to make up for all those times you opted out with snooze. How could you?

Hurrying, you rush to throw on your backpack. Hell, one strap will do; you’ll look dangerous. You quickly glance to your mirror. Cowlick is coming back in style, right?

Zig and zag, swerve to a skerch, you somehow make it to school safely.

Now for the real challenge; showing up to class on time.

These moments prove crucial, as you must ungracefully make a fool of yourself by galloping like an immunity deficient gazelle to your first class. Nerd.

Wouldn’t a transportable set of wheels prove most beneficial? As more and more students walk the campus grounds, making their way from points A to B, many resourceful Santa Rosa Junior College students have turned to bicycles, scooters and skateboards to make their daily journey a bit less hectic.

“It gets me places a lot faster than walking; cuts down [travel] time by over a half,” said SRJC student Adam Gockel.

Gockel prefers the scooter over other modes of transport due to its easy maneuverability. He first heard about the idea from his brother and has since noticed a significant difference in arrival time only just having picked up his two-wheeled vessel last semester.

Swearing by his beloved scooter, Gockel only noticed one setback to his already dangerous, scooterriding lifestyle with the oncoming progression of the season.

“When it’s wet, it gets really

hard to scooter. Almost every time I have scootered in the rain I have fallen,” Gockel said.

With the coming condensation and wetness, Gockel finds no excuse to stop himself from riding wherever he pleases. Mastering his mildly mischievous scooter, compacted and wielded in hand, Gockel stands by his “glide-ordie” lifestyle, saying, “They never stop for a man on a scooter.”

For those perhaps unwilling to make the shift towards scooting and its glory, more traditional modes of transport may prove suitable.

“I’ve bicycled as a child and have since never stopped,” said Jeff Witherton, an SRJC student.

“Not only do I ride on campus, but off as well; I never really stop.

Except for class of course.”

Witherton found the bicycle to be his preferred mode of transport due to the optimal amount of perks.

“What can I say? It’s not only the fastest, but perhaps the most accepted form of on-campus transportation,” Witherton said.

Upon making this majestic discovery, Witherton doesn’t take a sick day from bicycling on campus as he systematically creates the playground which he

rolls on.

The only downside, if any, Witherton explains, is you have to actively take time out of your day to find a proper spot to tie down your metallic steed.

“Once secured though,” Witherton said, “I feel better about having to leave my bike outside of class, knowing I’ll be right back for it.”

If it’s portability you desire but hate the restrictiveness that comes with having handlebars, then maybe the skateboard is your match.

For Malcolm Jeeves, making that decision was as easy as selecting Charmander as a starter in a good game of Pokemon.

“It’s just fun for me,” Jeeves said.

“I like to think that the people are just obstacles and it’s my goal to move around them.”

Jeeves has actively skated since he was four when his father bought him his first penny board.

He can still recall fall mornings when he would have to skate to elementary school.

“Since then, I never even thought about stopping. Plus it just saves so much more money not having to drive,” Jeeves said.

Self-defined as “the most dopest skater of all time,” Jeeves

Top: Matthew Koch/Oak Leaf /Bottom: Daniel Kong/Oak Leaf

Top: Adam Gockel coasts around SRJC campus by scooter. “It gets me places a lot faster than walking; cuts down [travel] time by over a half,” he said.

Bottom: Biking is the most popular form of human-powered transportation at SRJC.

considers himself gifted in having taught himself how to pop his skateboard up and thus move it, with his body, over objects; otherwise known as the “Ollie.”

With this trick up his sleeve, Jeeves takes the already utilizable world around him and manipulates it to the extreme, projecting himself over the shorter obstacles.

Though all different in terms of mobility, one factor remained a constant: none of these fellows ever

found themselves late to class.

So whether it’s scootering, bicycling or skateboarding that tickles your fancy, find what you like and stick with it. If you make it a part of your day to relax and ride to class with ease, opposed to running and exhausting yourself before your class even starts, you’ll be able to spend more time on a cloud, floating blissfully through a candy landscape with your beloved companion, Chuck Norris.

Save a Life – Learn CPR!

CPR | AED | First Aid | AED Sales & Service

Have fun and learn lifesaving skills!

Get supportive, quality training from American Heart Association certified instructors.

Student and group discounts • Weekly CPR community classes Petaluma & Santa Rosa locations • Private classes available Also offering AED sales, service and training!

Call us today for more information

(707) 766-9226

Or register for a class online at www.phcd.org

Now that I have your attention, your company should use Fitz Designz for all your internet marketing services.

Go ahead, Google us...that's the point.

www.theoakleafnews.com

Features

November 16, 2015

13

Sonoma Hillel

International Jewish program returns to SRJC Alex T. Randolph Copy Editor Named after Hillel the Elder, the scholar whose teachings founded much of Modern Judaism, Hillel International establishes Jewish communities in college campuses across the globe. Reaching out to Jewish students to give them opportunities to set up connections with each other and teach skills to help blaze the future.

The Sonoma County branch started at Sonoma State University 15 years ago. While it has a strong presence on other campuses, the group hasn’t been at Santa Rosa Junior College for the past three years, since it closed down due to lack of student involvement.

Now, new members such as Director Sarah Sterne, 25, and President / Head Intern Channah Rosen, 18, have brought it back, determined Hillel will be a group where Jewish SRJC students can congregate, worship together and plan for the future.

“We’re sort of filling the void,” Sterne said. “Many campuses have Hillels, and so the founders decided there was a need for that [here].”

Sterne, originally from Los Angeles, moved to Santa Rosa with her husband so she could be part of the Jewish community here. She said she got her position as director of Hillel in Sonoma County by accident – she found the position open and signed up on a whim. It wasn’t a job she was looking for, but found it suits her. Sterne herself is not a SRJC student; but she does take the role of advisor with the intern members, including those at SRJC. Rosen grew up in Santa Rosa and is a freshman at SRJC. In her teen years she immersed herself in the Jewish community, starting as a sophomore in high school. She was a member of the youth group at Shomrei Torah when she heard Hillel was hiring at SRJC; since Rosen was about to attend SRJC she applied for a position and the staff accepted her.

With Sterne providing advice and guidance, Rosen and seven other interns plan events and upcoming activities for the newly resurrected club. They plan for about six events a month, four of which are Shabbat dinners, traditional Jewish dinners commemorating the start of

Courtesy of Jessica Goldstein

Sonoma Hillel members frequently gather for group events over the semester, including this Muir Beach bonfire.

the “Day of Rest.” They are also organizing a group meeting once a month.

Right now, Hillel is focused on raising student awareness to increase their involvement in Hillel. To that end they have reached out to other cultural groups on the campus, such as the Black Student Union, which

From pysch to screen: Sergio Gocobachi Contributing Writer Grace Ingland made a career out of a pipe dream. She receives income from a job that also happens to be her passion, and no, it’s not something she just does on the side.

So what does Ingland do? She’s an actress.

Usually, when she tells people about what she does, she’s met with eyerolls or with a question like, “Isn’t that more of a hobby than a career?”

These stock reactions are ones Ingland faced her whole life, because she knew she wanted to be an actress since she was in kindergarten.

At six years old, Ingland played the little white deer in a stage production of “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe” and from there she went on to be a part of every play her school offered.

Leaving middle school, she had the choice of either attending a regular high school or a performing arts school. For Ingland, it was no question to which she would go. But once there, Ingland came to a realization.

Photo courtesy of graceingland.com

Grace Ingland pursues her passion every day. Ingland is an actress with big dreams and has starred in the independent film, “Living in the Grave.”

“I’m not the s**t. I’m not the best at this acting thing,” were Ingland’s first thoughts at entering classes at San Francisco School of the Arts.

All her life she had felt like a big fish in a small pond; now she felt like a very small fish with a lot to learn.

During this time, Ingland developed an extreme awareness of herself and others. She decided to turn this into a psychology degree and enrolled at Santa Rosa Junior College in fall 2008.

It only took Ingland one semester for her to realize psychology wasn’t where she belonged, so in the spring, Ingland traded psych courses for theatre and jumped right in to SRJC’s production of “Pride and Prejudice.”

During one of her musical theatre classes, instructor Janis Wilson’s son, Guy Wilson, spoke about his experience as an actor living in Los Angeles. Ingland hung on every word.

“I think it was just knowing that he, himself, was successful and that he was a person who I knew,” Ingland said. “He just inspired me to realize there’s people from smalltown Santa Rosa who’s making it in LA. I can totally do that.”

Months later, Ingland began school at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy of Los Angeles.

Leaving for Los Angeles, her expectations were high—she would spend two years at the conservatory and within a year of graduating, she would find herself working as a fulltime actor.

“My thought was that if I put in

they hope to collaborate with for a shared bake sale or some other event. They also encourage current members to take two minutes at the beginning of class to talk about the group.

“People need to know who we are first, you know, so that’s our first goal,” Rosen said.

People interested in the group

are welcome to attend one of the upcoming events, including a Shabbat dinner, regardless of personal beliefs.

“One thing we like to encourage is for people just to come check us out, even if you’re not Jewish,” Sterne said. “If you’re interested in what we do; we like to have an open invitation.”

Former SRJC student lives her passion as an actress a lot of hard work and time and effort, and since I have over 10 years of experience under my belt, or so I thought, that I was going to be perfectly fine,” she said.

In the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t an impossible goal, but in hindsight, Ingland felt she didn’t have the tools to achieve it.

After graduating from the conservatory in 2010, Ingland found herself in the real world having to make a living. She worked as a nanny and at museums to pay her bills. A manager helped her land a few shows here and there, but life in LA was slowly becoming more about paying rent and less about acting.

Ingland put acting on hold to pursue a career as a field closer with the skills she had acquired working with children: that’s when she discovered Disney Cruise Lines.

In 2012, Ingland spent four and a half months working on the Disney Dream cruise ship, not as an actor or a performer, but in the children’s activity section. Towards the end of her contract, she realized it was not what she wanted to do.

“I felt so stifled. Acting just kept coming back, and watching all the performers on stage I just thought, ‘I could do that.’”

At the end of her contract the cruise ship held auditions for an entertainment host position whose role was to develop a show for children with Disney characters.

The cruise line offered Ingland the job, but she declined.

“At that point, I decided that cruise life was not ethical for me. I just thought, ‘I can’t do this all over again and stand for this company that I don’t believe in.’”

After her contract with Disney Cruise Lines expired, Ingland packed up her things and moved back to San Francisco with the intent of pursuing acting again.

Immersing herself in the city, Ingland auditioned for local plays and volunteered at casting opportunities with the hopes of breaking into the industry.

At an audition for Bay Area talent, Ingland’s volunteer role was to hand out headshots of the auditioning actors to the casting directors.

While doing so, a Stars Agency rep stopped her and asked when her audition was and if she was already signed to an agency. From there Ingland auditioned and was signed to the Stars Agency shortly after.

Since then, Ingland starred in commercials for companies like Toyota, Google and Samsung, among others.

She recently starred in the independent, post-apocalyptic film “Living in the Grave,” directed by Evan Weidnkelier and co-produced by herself and her boyfriend, Angel Onchanthorn, who also works as a Bay Areabased director in the industry.

Looking toward the future, Ingland has big dreams. When asked where she sees herself in five years, her hope is to land a lead role in a television series.

14

November 16, 2015

Opinion

www.theoakleafnews.com

EDITORIAL A paradox hangs over this country.

The United States, the wealthiest nation on Earth, has more capital in its economy than any point in history, yet income inequality now parallels the Great Depression. The wealthy hoard America’s riches while the majority of its citizens share the scraps. Justice demands a living wage for all.

The American crusade for a higher minimum wage is at a boiling point.

Labor demonstrations spanning the nation cry out for a $15 minimum wage. Fast food workers in the thousands protest in the streets of major cities and more than 45 million Americans live in abject poverty.

Despite impressive GDP and net productivity growth, American wages steadily declined or stagnated for the last 35 years, according to the Economic Policy Institute. Meanwhile American life has become increasingly more expensive.

The sum of its treasuries is not the measure of nation’s wealth: that metric is the collective prosperity of its people. Wall Street and Silicon Valley’s profits may be the envy of the modern world, but until American workers of all economic strata live with dignity, America’s wealth is its shame.

This is far from a one-dimensional issue. Minimum wage is one variable in the volatile and complex sphere of macroeconomics. There are concrete differences between urban and rural costs of living, food prices in isolated Hawaii versus breadbasket

states like Nebraska vary enormously and warrant consideration. Local economies are as diverse as the American people and regularly respond to changing influences beyond calculation.

However, given the prodigious wealth of the U.S, it is reasonable to raise wages in tandem with rising inflation and cost of living, or at least above survival levels. Every competent individual who works a 40-hour workweek should be able to feed and house their family regardless of market fluctuations. This is a broad and liberal standard perhaps, but one worthy of America’s promise and within America’s bounty.

The controversial “fight for 15” movement already has substantial victories. Cities like San Francisco and Seattle are phasing in a $15 minimum wage and last week, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a statewide wage hike to $15 for all public employees by 2021.

Santa Rosa Junior College’s board of trustees preemptively raised the student employee wage to $10 an hour from $9 last week. Payroll enacts this raise Dec. 10 in advance of the California minimum wage boost to $10 an hour effective Jan 1.

This motion is primarily ceremonial in light of the state mandated raise, but the board’s independent ascent demonstrates an institutional leaning towards a living wage. A $10 minimum is still insufficient for most Californians, especially in the Bay Area where

living costs are astronomical.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s living wage calculator set a living wage for a selfsupporting adult in Sonoma County at $11.94 an hour, which assumes the individual has no dependents and works full time year round.

The living wage for an adult with dependents can be more than twice as high depending on the number of incomes in the household.

A higher minimum wage is an economic stimulant because it enhances the buying power of the average worker, thus promoting consumer spending and commercial growth. A more energetic economy naturally generates a stronger middle class, which is the epitome of American well-being. The money is already in the economy; workers

just need access to it.

A fair minimum wage is not a one shot solution to wealth and income inequality. A progressive tax code, forcing corporations and the ultra rich to proportionately contribute to the society facilitating their wealth, extends opportunities and security to struggling Americans. Higher and vocational education finance reform enables more Americans to attain quality education at affordable rates and compete in a dynamic job market.

Minimum wage opponents criticize wage floors for killing jobs, yet according to the Center for Economic and Policy research, the 13 states that raised minimum wages in 2014 had faster job growth than states that did not.

Employers should invest in their

employees. It may be cumbersome for some businesses to accommodate a universal living wage, but in 2015, the average business CEO makes 204 times more than the average worker.

This degrades millions of Americans to poverty and endangers the overall economy by concentrating wealth in too few hands.

Americans should be able to afford to live in America; this principle has a resounding mandate the business community refuses to honor. Government, with due consideration for inflation and regional conditions, must intervene and make a living wage a reality for all Americans. The invisible hand of capitalism accomplished spectacular feats for this country with lax regulations, but sometimes the invisible hand wields a knife.

Essentialists reject that which does not fit into preexisting, contemporary organismal characteristics. This is understandable; because it is feasible that one would fear ingesting something one’s ancestors weren’t exposed to. This group frowns less on cisgenesis and transgenisis when given the choice, however, which furthers the problem.

A cisgene is a natural gene, coding for an agricultural trait, from the crop plant itself or from a sexually compatible donor plant that can be used in conventional breeding.

The gene belongs to the conventional breeders’ gene pool.

Cisgenesis is the genetic modification of plants with cisgenes only.

A cisgenic plant contains no foreign genes.

A transgene is a gene from a noncrossable species or it is a synthetic gene. It represents a new gene pool

for plant breeding.

A transgenic plant is a GM-plant containing transgenes.

GMOs have become a hot button topic for debate and misinformation.

Foods considered GMOs are altered with chemicals, through insertion of genetic material or growing techniques that do not occur naturally in the plant. On the surface, this strikes an immediate chord of “not okay.”

However, and this is important: there is no scientific proof GMOs are harmful to humans when consumed in moderate quantities. There are reasons to prefer “natural” and “organic,” but GMOs may well become increasingly important to feed the world’s population.

“This technique [farming using GMOs] has been a big success in the areas it has been introduced to, including Hawaii where the papaya made a great comeback, as well as India and other countries,” said Robert Paarlberg, an adjunct professor at Harvard who is a noted food and safety and GMO expert. “A common thread among significant studies from the British

Medical Association, the German Academy of Sciences, the French Academy of Science and Medicine and other academics is agreement that there is no scientific evidence that GMOs are dangerous.”

As the New York Times points out, each of these methods comes with its own set of risks, and “even conventional crossbreeding [grafting or fusing two parent plants together] has occasionally produced toxic varieties of some vegetables.” Other forms of food crop manipulation have included human migration, introducing foreign crops to a new area, human selection, favoring some varieties over others and even DNA disruption, subjecting seeds to radiation to accelerate evolution.

The World Health Organization and the American Medical Association concluded that eating GM foods is “no riskier” than eating their conventional counterparts.

According to the WHO, “GM foods currently available on the international market have passed risk assessments and are not likely to present risks for human health.”

However, in Europe, the European Union Parliament has supported member states’ ability to restrict or ban genetically modified crops due to the widely held view that more data is needed to rightfully determine the long-term genetic impact on humans and wildlife.

Weeding out some misconceptions of GMOs Tommy Dennen Staff Writer Let’s talk about GMOs for a second. The phrase is becoming ever more of a hot switch in pop culture because it’s an issue affecting everyone. People have to eat, and with the shocking variety of food options available today, people increasingly face choices about what to put in their bodies.

With the advent of technological agriculture in the past two decades, these choices appear increasingly difficult.

Modern social networks and increased societal connectivity input find people reaching to the Internet and the opinions of their peers for a decision on how to feel. GMOs are often misunderstood. There are aspects of their application in agriculture to disagree with, but the emphasis in the discussion appears to be in the wrong direction.

GMOs are relatively benign, and research proves they have no adverse health effects, but the companies that own these GMO patents often employ poor stewardship that ultimately puts our species at risk.

Three major concerns surrounding GMO safety for human health are allergic reactions, resistance to antibiotics and outcrossing, or the crossing of GMOs to conventional crops or species. But when faced with the question of overall safety, the truth is no one really knows.

Two psychological reasons people dislike GMOs are essentialism and naturalism.

Psychological essentialism is talking about people’s inclination to classify species based on a particular underlying “essence” that makes the organism what it is. Adhering to the qualities that descend from the organism’s ancestors keeps it true to its core properties such as look and taste.

In other words, psychological essentialism highlights what’s common among the individuals of a species and considers that connection a defining characteristic.

For example, an essentialist bias is one reason some people have trouble accepting the nature of human evolution, because they don’t consider the variation we have within our species and how that lends to differential reproduction.

“GMOs are relatively benign, and research proves they have no adverse health effects.”

www.theoakleafnews.com

Opinion

November 16, 2015

Game over for boys club Devin Schwarz

Assistant A&E Editor Thank you Mario, but our independent female character is in another game.

Video games have been an integral part of American culture for nearly 50 years and young girls have been enjoying them just as much as their boy counterparts.

According to a 2013 Entertainment Software Association study 48 percent of gamers were women. Despite this simple fact, game designers systematically neglect almost half their player base with characters they create.

In 1975, “Gun Fight” was the first video game to feature humanoid characters, all of them appearing as male. This was the beginning of a long legacy of female absence in the video game mediasphere. A prominent early game continuing this trend was “Super Mario Bros,” the first ever game to feature a primary objective involving a man saving a woman over and over again. Granted, this trope was one in existence for centuries in folklore and mythology but the video game industry had a unique opportunity to modernize the way we tell stories and miserably failed.

For years Nintendo, the production company of Mario and many other classic games, has released title after title depicting male leads saving the day and rescuing a feeble princess.

To be fair Nintendo and other game companies made many attempts to

stem this patriarchal tendency with titles like “Metroid” (1986) and “Tomb Raider” (1996), but these titles were still fundamentally flawed. “Metroid” featured an Easter egg, a hidden secret within the game that allowed players to strip the main character of her protective armor and clothing during the end credits of the game. Tomb Raider also featured a female lead but one with ridiculously proportioned gigantic pixelated breasts that could, frankly, put an eye out when rendered in three dimensions.

Decades later we have a landscape of games spanning the spectrum from penis parades like the Call of Duty franchise to the empowered female characters of “Mirror’s Edge” or “Portal.” We even see game franchises evolve; in “Super Mario Advance” (2001) designers added Princess Peach as a playable character, allowing her to defeat her own enemies. Most recently we see “Tomb Raider” (2013), a reboot of the series exploring the origins of Lara Croft’s grave-robbing antics. This reboot still shows Croft as a feminine and busty young woman but this only serves to contrast her sheer badassery.

Since the advent of home video games, via console and later PC, one of the most popular and diverse genres has been RPGs or role-playing games.

These are video games that enable you to control and shape your hero to your heart’s content. Sometimes these manifest as fantasy RPGs where you can create mighty knights, agile thieves and mysterious sorcerers; color their hair, pick their clothes, even

Gi v i ng t h e bi rd s a bre a k

Left: Courtesy of En Masse Entertainment/Right: Courtesy of The-Void.co.uk

Left: In the MMORPG “Tera” there is no practical armor for female characters.

Right: Dungeon explorer Lara Croft has yet to uncover the mysteries of the sports bra.

change the size and shapes of minute facial features such as cheekbone size and chin width. Other games limit choices to which path to take or which monsters to tame or battle alongside.

The most important aspect of many of these RPGs is the choice of gender and often this choice has no major effect in the video game itself, allowing people to express themselves and not have others judge them for it — an experience all too rare in reality.

But there are still a number of game companies managing to find a way to oppress women despite this apparent expressive freedom. “World of Warcraft” (2004) and “Tera” (2011) are two RPGs infamous for letting you choose a gender to play as, but display armor as more or less a metal bikini for female characters. This entire concept is simply illogical. Why go through the trouble of programming your game to

have female characters when no selfrespecting female would ever want to play as them?

There are, however, shining exceptions among the muck. The Dark Souls series not only empowers players to choose a gender but the advanced settings of character creation allow you to adjust a feminine/masculine bar to make your character as androgynous as you want. Pokémon video games allow players to play as male or female with absolutely no difference in how the game progresses.

The future of video games is a blank slate. The typical industry model seems to favor patriarchy; the weak woman is in trouble and the strong man must save her. But modern game designers are challenging this model every day. If this trend of defiance continues, the future of video games may be bright indeed.

Amy Reynolds Staff Writer

the supermarket.

Why not give the bird (and countless others) a break and consider a mouthwatering meatless Thanksgiving dinner menu this year? With walnut stuffed portabello mushrooms, butternut squash baked risotto, quinoa/pecan stuffed acorn squash rings and more, the list of yummy alternatives is endless.

In the wild, when a turkey hatchling separates from its family it makes a distress call, crying out for its mother, who comes to the rescue, clucking soothingly.

She is the center of its universe.

Whenever I think of baby turkeys in the mechanical incubators, hatchery mutilation rooms, filthy sheds, terrifying trucks and slaughterhouses, I imagine the lost calls of all the turkeys in the world that no one will answer. There is no mother. No rescue.

In our time, the turkey is just a shelf product with, for a lot of people, no lingering images of sentience or evidence someone killed the creature. This society

Just the tip The one to hold you down Carin Huber

Quitting cold turkey

It is a holiday tradition practiced around dinner tables throughout the country. What are you most thankful for this year?

Last year a brave man sitting at my holiday get together very plainly and matter-of-factly expressed his appreciation for the turkey centerpiece on the table.

Everyone in the room looked at the poor man like he had three heads for bringing it up.

As the nation prepares for another Thanksgiving, let’s consider for a moment the 80 million or so turkeys which food providers will slaughter as the traditional main course.

While many people like to think of themselves as animal lovers, there’s a persistent barrier to getting those same people to acknowledge turkeys as conscious, sensitive, living beings - like their cat and dog companions - who possess desires and preferences and experience pleasure and suffering. We disassociate our feelings for the turkey because we buy it as a processed, frozen item at

15

Courtesy of Jessica Renaldi/Reuters

High volume turkey production causes serious repetitive stress injury to line workers.

largely doesn’t appreciate that animals are living beings before they’re turned into meat.

Animal waste runoff contributes to high levels of nitrogen, phosphorous, bacteria and other pathogens in soil and our common drinking water. Antibiotics and hormones from animal feedlots also appear in our water. As for air quality, the cloud of pathogens, insects and dust comprising of manure solids, dander, feathers, hair and feed from these same animal operations pose serious health hazards.

As one can imagine, working conditions in these operations aren’t so great either. They have some of the highest rates of injury and illness of any industry. The workers are exposed to dangerous machinery, toxic chemicals, blood, fecal matter, poor ventilation and extreme temperatures.

Rather than cutting into an animal which food producers have bred and drugged to grow so large that it is crippled by itsown weight, think about making compassion the centerpiece of your holiday this year. From field roast products to a bounty of wonderful plant based recipes found in an ever growing selection of vegan cookbooks there’s no need to sacrifice a delicious meal this Thanksgiving.

We may even pause to reflect. A lot went into this dinner. Someone raised, killed, cleaned, packaged and delivered this animal to me.

Someone rallied for cleaner and more local production. Someone fought for better conditions for the worker, the consumer and the animal itself. Hmmm. Worth it?

After all, holidays are really about rejoicing with family and friends, not causing harm to others.

Opinion Editor Few people knowingly go into a relationship with a controlling partner. The behavior is subtle, especially in the beginning, and can be hard to spot.

Most commonly the controlling person is a man, but a woman can be the offender too, and be equally dangerous.

Psychologist Andrea Bonoir offered these signs of controlling behavior in a June article for Psychology Today.

Extravagant gifts, expensive dinners out and help with bills may seem nice at first. Before long, however, you may find you feel beholden to the person, like you owe him the relationship. This is exactly how a controller wants you to feel.

Picking apart every little thing you do is another controlling technique.

Your supposed faults may be small and the “corrections” easily accepted as the controller trying to help you be a better person. Everyone has quirks that annoy their partner.

But if it feels like you can’t do anything right in his eyes, he may be trying to remake you in his vision.

A controller may demand particular behavior from you as a condition of his affection. He may say he doesn’t feel like having sex with you now, but if you’d just lose 10 pounds you’d be irresistible.

Or you’re so sexy when you bring home those big bonus checks from work. If he only loves you when you do something he likes, he doesn’t love you.

Does your partner have to be in constant contact, knowing where you are every minute of the day?

It may seem cute at first, how smitten he is with you, but pay attention to his reaction the first time he can’t reach you instantly.

If he overreacts or accuses you of doing something behind his back, you have a problem.

There are other red flags to watch out for: being unhappy when you go out with friends or family but insisting on having his own time with “the gang,” implying he might hurt himself, you, or someone else if you leave him, refusing to give you time alone, keeping score in the relationship or shutting you down in arguments and refusing to listen to your side are just a few more ways a controller has of gaining and keeping power over you.

If any of these behaviors sound familiar, pay attention. If more than one of these hit home, get an outside view from a trusted friend.

If you have doubts, get out of the relationship now. A controller can easily become an abuser. Leaving could keep you from harm.

If you are in an abusive relationship and need help, visit http://www.aardvarc.org/ dv/states/ca.shtml to find an assistance organization in your area of California.

16

November 16, 2015

Sports

SRJC Football:

www.theoakleafnews.com

Overtime defeat costs

team chance at playoffs

Bear Cubs

Athletics

Scoreboard Men’s Basketball

Nov. 7 vs Fresno L, 79-74 Nov. 8 vs Mt. San Antonio W, 75-63 Nov. 13 vs Merced W, 89-65 Nov. 14 vs San Francisco L, 73-63 Nov. 15 vs Fresno City W, 76-68 Women’s Basketball Nov. 12 vs Cypress W, 63-55 Nov. 13 at Merced W, 55-48 Nov. 14 vs Foothill L, 65-46 Men’s Cross Country Nov. 6 at NorCal Championships 4th place Women’s Cross Country Nov. 6 at NorCal Championships 6th place Football Nov. 7 at Foothill W, 50-13 Nov. 14 vs Diablo Valley L, 35-32 Hockey Nov. 5 at College of the Canyons W, 7-2 Nov. 6 at San Diego State (D2) L, 6-1 Nov. 7 at San Diego State (D2) W, 5-2 Men’s Soccer Nov. 6 at Modesto T, 0-0 Nov. 13 at Cosumnes River W, 3-0 Women’s Soccer Nov. 6 vs Sacramento City W, 5-0 Nov. 10 vs San Joaquin Delta W, 3-2 Nov. 13 at Modesto T, 2-2 Volleyball Nov. 6 at Modesto W, 3-0 Nov. 11 at Sierra L, 3-0 Nov. 13 vs Cosumnes River W, 3-0

In a hard-fought and exciting game, the SRJC Bear Cubs football team lost to Diablo Valley College. The overtime defeat cost the team a chance to play in the postseason.

Austin Burmester Social Media Editor The Santa Rosa Junior College Bear Cubs carried a two-game winning streak into its regular season finale against Diablo Valley College Nov. 14. After beating De Anza College [10-8], and Foothill College [50-13], the Bear Cubs contolled their own playoff destiny heading into the season’s final game.

With an overall record of 6-3 and their conference record of 3-1,

Benjamin Farren/ Oak Leaf

close games and come out on top,” said head coach Lenny Wagner.

After the close win against De Anza, the Bear Cubs traveled to Foothill for another away game this past weekend and blew them out of the water in a 50-13 win. “I think our team played at our level for the Foothill game. Our team learned a valuable lesson the week before by coming into to De Anza flat,” Wagner said. The Bear Cubs had zero turnovers and were very efficient in the red zone rushing

for four touchdowns, while kicker Andro Pedroza hit three field goals, the longest from 41 yards out. The Bear Cubs were also very efficient in the run game, with 251 total yards rushing. Five players rushed for 30 plus yards.

Unfortunately for the Bear Cubs, a hard fought season finale ended with an overtime defeat at the hands of Diablo Valley College. A sellout crowd watched the shootout, a game that, though entertaining, ended the Bear Cub’s playoff chances.

failed playoffs run last season following elevate more so it’s more of a ‘jump shot.’ a 2013 state championship, Hickman I’ve been getting shots up, working on said, “Last year was a little rough, but my conditioningand lifting weights so it was a learning experience. I don’t I can add a little more strength and be think I met my own expectations, but more physical on the court,” he said.

Hickman is excited about this I figured out a lot of things I needed to work on. This year should be better year’s roster, with its wave of talented freshmen. Notable newcomers include than last year.”

Montgomery standout Last season Michael Septimo and he came off the redshirt freshmen Sadik bench in more Sufi and Kiel Long. games than he “He can do a lot of Arnold Silva, Siaan started, which different things on Rojas, and Jacob Wilson was unfamiliar are all key returners, as territory. the floor and is a well. “I’m stoked. The Hickman plays great teammate.” sophomores this year for renowned - Head coach Craig are going to be leaders, coach Craig McMillan on Jordan and we’re expecting to McMillan. “He’s make the playoffs this interesting and Hickman time,” Hickman said. very opinionated.

For those who have If you’re doing not seen him play, he something wrong, he’ll definitely let you have it,” Hickman describes himself as an “energy guy.” A said. “But the more we listen to him, “stretch four,” who likes to pick and pop, the more we’ll get better and the more set screens, block shots and attack the basket. Hickman compares his overall success we’ll have.”

Most successful athletes follow the game style to Golden State Warriors’ motto “there is no offseason; you’re Draymond Green, but he loves to watch either getting better or you’re getting Kevin Durant of the OKC Thunder worse.” Hickman used this mindset since he is similar in size and stature.

Rojas and Wilson are Hickman’s to add more elements to his gamethis summer to make him more effective closest friends on the team. They never had the chance to play on the and efficient on the court.

“I’ve changed my whole shot, where I floor together last year, but all three

think that it will happen this year. The three Bear Cubs all live together in the Elliot Apartments, where they spend lots of time together hanging out after practices and games.

Coach McMillan is excited about Hickman’s potential this year. “He’s going to be huge for us,” McMillan said.

“He can do a lot of different things on the floor and is a great teammate, which is a must if you’re playing for me.”

Basketball has taught him lots of life lessons transfer to the classroom and everyday life. His advice to young kids is, “Keep working. There’s always someone somewhere else in the world working harder than you, and they’ll beat you when you meet.”

Hickman’s family, primarily his father, motivated and inspired him.

He never allowed his son to become complacent and satisfied with where he was, always swift to offer constructive criticism in basketball and life in general.

The sky is the limit for this young man, who has an optimistic outlook even on life outside of basketball. “Just be happy,” Hickman said. “Life’s too short to be sad and bitter. Try to make every day your best.”

Hickman will lead the revamped Bear Cubs into a three-day tournament at San Francisco City College Nov. 6 to kick off the 2015-16 season.

the team looked to sneak into the postseason with a win.

In their away game against De Anza, the Bear Cubs had 365 total yards of offense but put up just 10 points due to their lack of execution in the red zone, as well as costly turnovers. Even though the Bear Cubs came away with the W, they had a total of seven turnovers.

“There were not many positives that came from the De Anza game but the win was great. It is good experience for our players to be in

Hickman ready for sophomore campaign Dale Watkins

Contributing Writer Santa Rosa Junior College sophomore basketball player Jordan Hickman is no stranger to the court’s spotlight.

Hickman was the best player on his team on every level; elementary, middle, high school, AAU ball, pickup games, you name it. Coming off a below average freshman campaign both for himself and his team, time rejuvenated the lanky 6-foot-7 forward who is looking forward to a breakthrough sophomore season.

Hickman was a four-year starter at powerhouse St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School in Vallejo. He averaged 10.9 points, seven rebounds and two steals his senior year, leading his school to a superb 26-9 overall record.

Local colleges like Sonoma State, Chico State and CSU East Bay heavily recruited Hickman, but he came to SRJC instead.

“I had family ties here. My mom went to SRJC and my dad went to Sonoma State. And I thought about how they did win state last year, so they obviously must be doing something right, so that definitely was a huge factor,” Hickman said.

When asked about the Bear Cubs’

www.theoakleafnews.com

Sports

November 16, 2015

SRJC basketball preview

High hopes for new season

17

The best NBA team ever?

Parker Dangers-Oncken

Robert Marshall

Sports Editor

Senior Staff Writer

Opinion

After each team finished at .500 last season, both Santa Rosa Junior College men’s and women’s basketball teams look to get back to the playoffs during the 2015-16 season.

Last season, the men went 1414 overall and 7-7 in conference play. They were ranked sixth in the Big 8 Conference at the end of the season, losing their last two games.

They finished the season 5-3 at home, and 3-6 on the road. SRJC averaged 69.2 points a game last year. Their leading scorer was Damone Oliver with 13.3 points a game, followed by Markel Leonard with 7.3.

This year, however, the team is looking to improve. The team started with a blowout 86-53 win against Alameda College Nov. 6.

In the CCSF Tournament they Bear Cubs lost 79-74 to Fresno City College Nov. 7, before bouncing back to win 75-63 against Mt. San Antonio in the tournament Nov. 8.

The women’s team finished last season at 15-15 overall and 8-6 in conference play, ranking

Courtesy of SRJC Athletics

Santa Rosa Junior College men’s basketball team looks to return to the playoffs this season after finishing at .500 in the 2014-15 season.

fourth in the conference. In the first round, the Bear Cubs beat Merritt College, led by Jenna Dunbar’s 26 points to advance to the second round against Chabot College. Although they lost 7970, Alicia Mehtlan had her best game of the year, scoring 29 points and going 12-12 from the free-throw line.

“The Big 8 is an extremely tough conference and we are aiming to win the title again,”

Head Coach Lacy Campbell said.

With four teams in the north, ranked in the states top ten, winning the title again would be a challenge. But the team does have some stars who will be returning this year.

Coming back for her sophomore season is last year’s leading scorer Dunbar.

She averaged 13.6 points per game, more than double what second leading scorer Taylor

Graham [4.7] produced.

Also returning to the team is Brooke Santander, Vai Thompson and Niambi Saint Louis. The team has five tournaments that will help them get a good sense of what they can do. “We have to be able to compete three or four days in a row,” Campbell said.

Their first games of the season were in the Merced Tournament Nov. 12-14.

SRJC athletics struggle to fill seats

While Bear Cubs football and Polar Bears hockey athletics programs have no trouble filling the stands, most SRJC sports team struggle to maintain a steady audience.

Stephen Wolmarans Staff Writer As all of California prays for El Niño to drench the state in rain, Santa Rosa Junior College athletic programs hope to welcome the rainy season with more championship banners in Haehl Pavilion.

For the last 10 years there has been no drought on campus, with teams adding eight state championship flags to the rafters in that time.

Presently, both the men’s and women’s SRJC soccer teams are poised for deep postseason runs after posting a combined 31-2-5

record during the regular season and going undefeated in conference play.

Football [6-3] and Volleyball [198] have both turned in impressive regular seasons and hope to continue playing well into November.

However, all these accolades seem to fall on deaf ears. Perennial excellence hasn’t put fans in the stands, and with the exception of football, most attendees are friends and family of the athletes.

The commuter nature of SRJC doesn’t help.

As Kinesiology teacher Paul Comish said, “If you’re at a university where everyone lives on campus, students are more likely to go.”

Most sports compete during class hours, which limit students and fans’ accessibility to games. SRJC Student Katie Vannetti has a little more flexibility. “I can schedule around them, and work earlier in the day so I can go see an event,” Vannetti said.

Some programs, like SRJC’s Ice Hockey team, have built large fan bases in part by holding their games on Friday and Saturday nights.

“For a lot of spectators, it’s a social event,” Comish said.

The hockey games are also free for all to attend, with the $6-8 admission of other events acting as a potential barrier.

While The Oak Leaf promotes

Benjamin Farren/ Oak Leaf

and covers sports around campus in print, and the SRJC Athletics has a strong online presense, many students are still not aware of events.

“I would love to go to more games, but the only athletics advertisement was for hockey in ICC [Inter Club Council],” said student Sabrina Peluso.

Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of playing in front of a rowdy crowd knows what a difference it can make, but Coach Comish has it right when he said, “I think the athletes themselves need to feel the intrinsic value of competing, forget about having an audience, and get personal satisfaction out of performing well.”

An offense as explosive as any the NBA has ever seen complements a defense that strangles its opponents with frantic switching and huge wingspans.

Flurries of three-pointers rain down on opposing teams more often than Donald Trump insults Mexicans, quickly turning close games into blowouts, while a rabid defense leads to fast breaks and easy buckets.

This is the 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors, and there is nothing this team doesn’t do well.

Through the season’s first eight games, the Warriors are a perfect 8-0. They lead the league in both offense and defense, scoring 115 points per game, surrendering just 97 points per contest. With an average margin of victory of 18 points, this team is not only winning games, it is absolutely dominating the rest of the league.

It is impossible to attribute Golden State’s dominance to an easy schedule. The team has quickly made an early season habit of running 2014-2015 playoff teams off the floor with ease, claiming victories over the Houston Rockets, New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies by an average of 21 points per game.

As Golden State continues to dominate, it begs to question; is this the best NBA team of all time?

The statistics say yes. The eyeball test supports the statistics. This team is next-level on both ends of the court. Having already won a championship with relative ease last season, this year’s version of the Warriors looks decisively better in all aspects of the game.

Reigning MVP Stephen Curry is playing out of his mind, having improved upon his 2014-2015 season in every measurable way. He has become the face of the NBA, its best and most entertaining player, captaining a juggernaut that is only getting better.

As incredible as Curry has been in the early going, the team’s other offensive stars haven’t yet hit their stride. Klay Thompson has yet to have a breakout game, and the team’s starting center Andrew Bogut has played in just two games due to a concussion.

Is it possible for a team to dominate at such a level without yet finding its rhythm?

Once again, the answer is yes, yes and yes.

The Warriors will win as many games as they want to win this season, and with any luck they will set the new NBA record for wins with 73.

As you watch the Warriors this season, savor each moment. You are watching an all-time team in its prime.

18

November 16, 2015

Sports

www.theoakleafnews.com

Benjamin Farren/ Oak Leaf

Undefeated: Anthony Sosa Staff Writer The Santa Rosa Junior College women’s soccer team [17-0-4, 100-4] accomplished an impressive feat as they finished the 2015 season undefeated.

Although the team ended the regular season with a 2-2 tie against Modesto Junior College Nov. 13 they still completed the season

without a loss, and finished first in the Big 8 Conference.

Head coach Crystal Howard emphasized that even though finishing the season undefeated was impressive, it was more of a feat to score 77 goals and only allow 9.

“That is a huge accomplishment for this program,” Howard said.

Defense clearly was a strong suit for the club this season. The defensive back four, and goalkeeper Ali Miller made it

Left: Bear Cubs striker Amanda Galbraith controls the ball as she charges upfield during a game against San Joaquin Delta College Nov. 6. Right: Bear Cubs defender Megan Flynn fights for possession of the ball against San Joaquin Delta College. Flynn is part of a dominant defensive unit that allowed just nine goals over the entire regular season.

SRJC women’s soccer team makes school history with perfect regular season difficult for any opponent to score.

The defense stayed strong from start to finish this season, providing a steady complement to an electric offense led by Amanda Galbraith and Sophia Maso.

With an average of over 3.7 goals scored per contest, it’s no mystery why this team was able to etch its name into the SRJC athletics history books.

Even with offense putting up impressive numbers, the team

believes that its defense is its backbone.

“Ali Miller has done a great job stepping up as a freshman goalkeeper. She still has a lot to learn and will only continue to get better,” Howard said. “She has had the privilege of having an outstanding defensive back four that has made her job a little easier.

I give credit to the back five for the unbelievable stay.”

The Bear Cubs now prepare for the first round of the Big 8 Conference playoffs.

“We have to continue to stay focused and competitive. Our big year goal is to get to the final four.

“That goal will continue to motivate us and drive our competitiveness to achieve that goal,” Howard said.

The team looks to continue its fairy tale season when the playoffs begin Nov. 21, location TBA.

Playoff picture coming into focus Austin Burmester Social Media Editor

Opinion We are witnessing history in the National Football League this year. The New England Patriots, the Carolina Panthers and the Cincinnati Bengals, are all undefeated at 8-0. This is the first time in the history of the NFL that three teams have stayed unbeaten this far into the season. These three teams are shoe-ins for the playoffs and division titles this year.

Two of the unbeaten teams, the Patriots and the Bengals, reside in the AFC while the Panthers are in the NFC. Each conference consists of four divisions and the winners of each division are automatically in the play-offs. Each conference also allows two wild-card spots. Going into Week 10, we are beginning to get a good look at what the play-off picture may look like.

The AFC North is currently headed by the undefeated Bengals.

Their offense, led by quarterback (QB) Andy Dalton, Running back’s (RB) Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill and Pro Bowl wide receiver AJ Green is tough to stand up against.

The 5-4 Pittsburg Steelers would need a miracle to win the AFC North. For now, especially with Big Ben not healthy, it looks like the Steelers will have to fight for a wild -card spot.

The Patriots control the AFC East and have been busy dominating the league. Future Hall of Fame QB Tom Brady has picked apart every defense he has faced this season and he has not slowed down. The Patriots may or may not stay undefeated, but they are heavy favorites to represent the AFC in Super Bowl 50.

Over in the AFC West, the Denver Broncos are leading the division with a 7-1 record. Their dominant No.1 ranked defense, paired with an offense led by future Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning is nothing short of scary.

This division also has a team in the wild card hunt; the 4-4 Oakland Raiders, led by sophomore QB Derek Carr, rookie WR Amari Cooper and Safety Charles Woodson. The Raiders will need wins over the next couple weeks to stay in the hunt.

The AFC South, the worst division in football, is led by the 4-5 Indianapolis Colts. With the Colts QB Andrew Luck out again with a kidney injury, literally any of four teams in the division could end up winning it.

In the NFC North division, there is a current tie at division leader between the 6-2 Green Bay Packers and the 6-2 Minnesota Vikings.

Both teams have a very solid chance at making the play-offs as either a division winner or a wild-card team.

The NFC East is in the midst of a battle for first place. The 5-4 Giants

Courtesy of Bleacher Report

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Daltons looks to throw deep in a game against the New York Jets. The Bengals are 8-0 in 2015.

and the 4-4 Eagles are both in the running to win the division. Many people doubted Chip Kelly and the Eagles after their extremely shaky start but they have been winning as of late.

The Cowboys were favored to win this division in the beginning of the season but after losing QB Tony Romo to injury, the 2-6 Cowboys will have to win one to have a chance at the play-offs.

The 6-2 Arizona Cardinals are

currently leading the NFC West.

This is another NFC division where I believe two of these teams will make it to the play-offs: the Cardinals will win the division and the Seahawks will sneak into a wild-card spot after a bad start to the season.

Last, but certainly not least, is the NFC South controlled by the Carloina Panthers who, like the Patriots, have a solid chance at an undefeated season. With a No.15 ranked offense and a No. 12 ranked

defense, the Carolina Panthers have shocked the NFL with their record.

The 6-3 Falcons could make a push for a wild-card spot in the NFC, a loss to the San Francisco 49ers may have exposed them as pretenders.

In the end, it will be the New England Patriots vs the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship game and the Carolina Panthers vs the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game. Only time will tell.

www.theoakleafnews.com

Sports

November 16, 2015

19

Throwdown on the ice SRJC hockey players weigh fighting in traditional sport Travis Labrucherie Staff Writer

Opinion

Top Photo Courtesy of SRJC Hockey / Bottom Photo: Joseph Barkoff/ Oak Leaf

Top: A UC Berkeley goaltender tackles former SRJC forward Chris Whitten after the Polar Bears’ center attacked the net attempting to score. The two engaged in a heated scrum before officials pulled the skaters apart and penalized both teams.

Bottom: Former captain and current head coach Blake Johnson tussles with a Cal defnesemen in a 2014-15 game. Johnson received a two minute minor for roughing.

Sticks. Gloves. Shirt.

The film “D2: The Mighty Ducks" immortalized the basics of starting a hockey fight. Fighting has always been an important part of the game, and the Disney movie taught kids exactly how to get it done. It's always been a part of the game, so why is there a sudden change in mindset about fighting being prominent in the NHL? I understand the concerns about fighting, especially when it comes to one’s health. Anyone who chooses to fight needs to know the risks they are taking. The potential damage to their body could be life changing.

Concussions, broken bones, black eyes and knocked-out teeth are some of the effects hockey players deal with from fighting. These could also be the effects of getting hit with a 100 mph slap-shot, but nobody is trying to ban those.

Santa Rosa Junior College has its own ice hockey team, the Polar Bears.

Players understand the consequences of fighting but also understand its role within the sport.

“Hockey is tough, and taking away fighting would just make the sport look soft as poop”, said SRJC Polar Bear defensemen Brandon Bronze.

Hockey is a violent, but gentlemanly sport. There is something beautiful about exchanging punches with a guy and being able to shake his hand afterwards. Fighting is really just a show of respect. Respect to your opponents by having to start a fight

Guillermo Arguell Football

Favorite part of Thanksgiving?

Prayer

Apple or PC?

Apple

Opinion of NFL domestic violence issues?

There is no reason to ever hit a woman

Best personal sports moment?

Strip Sack touchdown

to try and swing to momentum into Alumnus Jacob Fitzpatrick. “Fighting your favor. gives players the ability to hold each “It can be a big momentum change other accountable. If you play dirty, in the way a game is going,” captain you're going to have to answer for it.

Josiah Nikkel exclaimed.

Yes its existing, and people think it's Fighting can show respect to your only for entertainment purposes. But teammates by having their back and it holds a far more important role in duking it out to protect them. the sport then what is seen.”

Team president Steve Wolmarans I can understand how some people says you need to “protect the goal think fighting is just for entertainment scorers and make sure nobody takes purposes. Sometimes it looks fake, as liberties with your two players dance most productive aroudn each other p l a y e r s .” before throwing jabs.

Wo l m a r a n s And some think added that it's all a ploy to put “Taking away fighting fighting is a way people in the seats. would just make the of showing your SRJC defenseman sport look soft as poop,” coaches that you A.J. Spears said, - Brandon Bronze, will go out there “Even though and sacrifice your SRJC hockey defensemen fighting usually body for the sake does increase the of the team. attendance rate not As a member of every fan likes it.” the SRJC hockey SRJC goaltender team, every time Lachlan Irvine said, I step out onto the ice I know there is “Not a fan of staged fights, having guys a possibility of getting into a fight. It whose only job is to drop the gloves is comes with the level of competition. a waste of roster space. Sticking up for Growing up playing hockey in a teammate is one thing, but I’d rather youth leagues, we’re told that fighting see highlight reel goals and plays then is a part of the sport, but the emphasis guys concussing each other.” is not on the retaliation but learning When it comes to selling tickets the fundamentals. It isn’t until we get to the game fighting is definitely a to higher-skilled level games, where big draw, but its importance is much fighting turns from a violent aspect to greater than that. a way of policing the game.

How cool is it to be able to get in a “Fighting helps hold players fight and just get a five-minute penalty accountable for their actions on the ice, and then hop back into the game? No even more so than penalties. I think other sport is like that. If you have a there would be more illegal plays if problem with fighting, then don’t fight. fighting didn't exist, most of it done out If you have a problem with fighting in of sight of the referees; more slashes hockey, then don’t play hockey. and crosschecks,” said Polar Bear

Malcolm Jenkins Football

Family all together

Brandon Singh Football

Vincent Jefferies Football

Getting family together

Family and good food

Apple

Apple

No one should put their hands on a woman

NFL doesn’t do a good job punishing it

It’s serious because these people are our idols

Game winner in basketball

Beating Analy by one point in 2012

State

PC

championship AAU baseball

in

20

November 16, 2015

Sports

www.theoakleafnews.com

Zero tolerance for domestic violence in professional sports Anthony Sosa

Assistant Sports Editor

Opinion Domestic violence and assault is no joke. Unfortunately, many Americans still don’t take it seriously.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, on average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this equates to more than 10 million women and men. That statistic alone leaves me at a loss for words.

In professional and collegiate sports, domestic violence and assault are some of the biggest issues players deal with today.

The latest case of this reoccurring problem belongs to Greg Hardy, a Dallas Cowboy’s defensive end.

We first heard of Hardy’s domestic violence against his then-girlfriend Nicole Holder in May 2014. At the time, Hardy played for the Carolina Panthers.

The NFL and commissioner Roger Goddell handed Hardy a combined five-game suspension for this occurrence. In the past month, photos were released of the injuries inflicted on Holder’s back, shoulders and chin. These photos

caused uproar from America demanding the NFL to either suspend or remove Hardy. Jail time is another demand.

My main question is why did it take pictures for America to react like this? Is a description and voice not good enough to show people how bad domestic violence is?

The Cowboy’s owner, Jerry Jones, defended Hardy earlier this year, calling him a leader. I don’t understand that one bit. Hardy not only beat up his girlfriend, but has also caused a few problems in the locker room. What kind of leader is that? A leader is an athlete that takes an ambitious approach to better themselves and their teammates both on and off the field.

Hardy is just one of the many NFL players who committed domestic violence recently. Cameras caught former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice knocking his wife out in an elevator in 2014. Although his wife dropped domestic violence charges, his actions were still unjust. Rice hasn’t played an NFL game since the incident, which is how it should be.

Adrian Peterson, running back for the Minnesota Vikings, assaulted his son and was suspended for all of the 2014 season. He is now back playing in the 2015 season.

Courtesy of Bleacher Report

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has repeatedly expressed his support of Greg Hardy (pictured), effectively prioritizing winning football games over the right and just punishment of perpetrators of domestic abuse.

Clearly, assault and domestic violence is a big issue in the NFL, but other athletes have committed crimes as well. Patrick Kane, right wing for the Chicago Blackhawks, was under investigation recently for possible rape charges. USA Women’s soccer player Hope Solo committed domestic violence against her sister and nephew in 2014.

Domestic violence and assault are big issues in today’s sports world. There’s no room for it in sports, let alone anywhere. Anger should never be taken out on a family member, or anyone for that matter. If athletes commit violence or assault they have no right to play a sport professionally.

Unfortunately, many of these

athletes get away with a lot of these cases because they are famous and important to big organizations.

It’s time for America, the sports community and fans to take a stand on this. I, for one, am done supporting any athlete who commits these types of crimes, and I believe the rest of America should join me.